Namibia was headed for its first woman president with two-thirds of the votes from last week's election counted by early Tuesday, giving the governing party candidate a strong lead in a vote the main opposition has already rejected as a sham.

Namibia has elected its first female leader, with Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah declared the winner Tuesday of last week’s presidential election as the long-ruling party remains in power

Across southern Africa, political parties that have led their countries since the end of colonialism have ceded power to the opposition in recent months. Namibia bucked the trend.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia's ruling SWAPO party has been elected president and will be the country's first female leader, results released by the country's electoral commission showed on Tuesday.

Namibia will have its first female leader after Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah wins the presidential election.

Ndaitwah, from the governing South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo), looks set to become Namibia's first female president with more than 90% of the votes from last week's disputed election now counted.

Ndaitwah, from the governing South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo), has been voted in as Namibia's first female president after last week's disputed election. The electoral commission said she had won more than 57% of the votes cast,

Namibia has elected its first female President, with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah declared the winner of last week's disputed elections. Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah, the current Vice President of the Southern African country.