Namibians off to the polls

ELECTIONS: VICE-PRESIDENT AMONG FIRST, WITH HOPE OF BECOMING FIRST FEMALE LEADER

Namibia's vice-president was among the first to vote in elections yesterday that could see her become the nation's first female leader, even as her ruling Swapo party faces the strongest challenge yet to its 34-year grip on power.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, a veteran of the party, cast her ballot in the capital Windhoek as polls opened with long queues outside many polling stations.

She urged the roughly 1.5 million registered voters to get to the polls before they close at 9pm.

"The vote will have an impact for the next five years in your life and in the life of every Namibian and any person who's visiting this country," said the candidate popularly known as NNN.