Namibia votes and could have its first female leader. But election upsets have shaken the region

WINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — 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. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the current vice president and the ruling SWAPO party’s candidate for president. She already leads after the results of special early voting among citizens overseas and the armed forces were announced. But SWAPO faces growing frustration in Wednesday’s vote caused by high unemployment and economic hardship, issues that have caused big election upsets in neighboring South Africa and Botswana this year. Fourteen other candidates are running for president, and a runoff will be held if a candidate doesn’t win more than 50%.