Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba has been re-elected after winning more than 75 percent of the vote in last week's elections, according to official results released Friday. Pohamba's ruling South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), in power since independence in 1990, also maintained its two-thirds majority in parliament.
"I am a happy man. I, on behalf of SWAPO accept the election. I am grateful to the Namibian people who once again trusted me," said Pohamba. The official election commission tally showed Pohamba with 76.4 percent of the presidential vote, while SWAPO secured 75.3 percent in the legislative polls.
The breakaway Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), led by former foreign minister Hidipo Hamutenya, secured 11 percent of the vote in each of the polls. Earlier Friday, eight of the 13 Namibian opposition parties rejected the results of the elections and said they would file a court challenge.
The parties had instructed their legal teams to institute proceedings against the Electoral Commission of Namibia "for contravening the electoral law of the country," they said. The parties have complained about the slow pace of ballot counting from the polls held last Friday and Saturday, and say they were not adequately informed about the vote verification process.
African observers of the elections have pronounced them free and fair, while recommending that Namibia take steps to speed up the counting process and free up access to the media for all parties. Eight of the 13 opposition parties that contested the legislative and presidential elections said they would file a court case to challenge the results, with the final outcome expected later Friday.
"Our eight parties will not accept the election results as the elections were conducted in contravention of the law," a joint statement said. The parties had instructed their legal teams to institute proceedings against the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) "for contravening the electoral law of the country," they said.
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