A 72-year-old woman who joined Namibia’s underground independence movement in the 1970s is a strong contender to become its first female leader as the country voted in a presidential election. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the current vice president and the ruling Swapo party’s candidate for the top job.

A woman who joined Namibia’s independence movement in the 1970s is a strong contender to become its first female leader as the country votes in a presidential election

Political analysts said there is a possibility SWAPO will be ousted by youth fed up with high unemployment, inequality and corruption allegations, although longstanding loyalty to the party

A 72-year-old woman who joined Namibia's independence movement in the 1970s is a strong contender to become its first female leader as the country votes in a presidential election on Wednesday.Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the current vice president and the ruling SWAPO party's candidate for president and leads after the results of special early voting among citizens overseas and the armed forces were announced earlier this month.

Namibia's eighth presidential and National Assembly elections kicked off early on Wednesday, with 15 presidential candidates and 21 political parties vying for leadership.

Namibians will vote on Wednesday in what is expected to be the most competitive election yet for the ruling SWAPO party, which has governed the southern African nation for 34 years.

If things work out as Namibia’s long-time governing party hopes, the country will be electing its first female head of state this week. But a mood of disillusionment with liberation movements in southern Africa,