Namibia counted votes yesterday from what was widely praised as a model general election, expected to hand another victory to the ruling SWAPO party. Although final results were not expected until at least today, founding President Sam Nujoma’s handpicked successor Hifikepunye Pohamba is almost guaranteed an unequivocal popular mandate from SWAPO supporters.

Victor Tonchi, chairman of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, told a news conference that counting had started as planned on Wednesday at 107 special centres across the vast country, but there would probably be no result until Thursday. “Our counting process is very tedious,” he said.

Roberto de Almeida, the Angolan head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional observer mission, said the poll was conducted well. “Until this moment there have not been any problems; we have not encountered any problems,” he told Reuters. Tonchi said in one locality there had been a printing problem with ballot papers, but the matter had been resolved. Namibia counted votes yesterday from what was widely praised as a model general election, expected to hand another victory to the ruling SWAPO party. Although final results were not expected until at least today, founding President Sam Nujoma’s handpicked successor Hifikepunye Pohamba is almost guaranteed an unequivocal popular mandate from SWAPO supporters.

Victor Tonchi, chairman of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, told a news conference that counting had started as planned on Wednesday at 107 special centres across the vast country, but there would probably be no result until Thursday. “Our counting process is very tedious,” he said.

Roberto de Almeida, the Angolan head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional observer mission, said the poll was conducted well. “Until this moment there have not been any problems; we have not encountered any problems,” he told Reuters. Tonchi said in one locality there had been a printing problem with ballot papers, but the matter had been resolved.