Public holiday for presidential and parliamentary elections

Holidaymakers in Namibia must be prepared for closed authorities and businesses tomorrow. This is because Namibia is electing a new president and a new National Assembly. To enable working Namibians to participate, the government has declared election day a public holiday.

As is customary on public holidays (see article in the 'Travel Advice' section on Namibian.org), public authorities and many businesses will remain closed. Essential services such as hospitals or petrol stations are not affected. Supermarkets should also be open. However, as on Sundays and public holidays, no alcohol may be sold tomorrow.

A lively turnout is expected for tomorrow's elections. For the first time since Namibia's independence in 1990, it is not certain that the ruling SWAPO party will win an absolute majority of votes in the National Assembly elections. Like the ANC in South Africa, it could be forced to form a coalition with opposition parties (more on this in a recent article on Wikipedia.

There may be a run-off in the presidential election for the first time. However, political observers believe that the SWAPO candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has by far the best chance of winning. She would be the first woman to hold the highest and most powerful office in Namibia.

Sven-Eric Stender