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.

By Nyasha Nyaungwa WINDHOEK (Reuters) -Voters waited in long queues outside polling stations in Namibia's capital Windhoek on Wednesday morning to cast their ballots for a new president and parliament in what could be a tough election to win for the ruling SWAPO party.

Bernadus Swartbooi (47 ): He leads the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) which campaigns for land redistribution to Namibians whose land was dispossessed by German settlers in the 1900s. The LPM has four seats in parliament. In 2019, Swartbooi, formerly of SWAPO, won 3 percent of the vote.

FILE PHOTO: Namibia's President Nangolo Mbumba greets presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia's ruling party SWAPO, at a rally ahead of the upcoming elections in Windhoek, Namibia, November 24, 2024. REUTERS/Noah Tjijenda/File Photo

McHenry Venaani (47): He is the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Namibia’s largest opposition party. Although the party holds 16 out of 96 seats in parliament, the most after SWAPO, Venaani only managed to clinch 5% of the votes in 2019 when he ran for president.

Namibia is holding elections today, with its history of genocide, SWAPO party leadership, drought challenges, and uranium exports all playing a big role in shaping the voters’ decision

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.

Namibia’s Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah could become the country’s first female president if she wins the presidential election Wednesday.

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,