WINDHOEK - Namibia's ruling SWAPO party led both the presidential and parliamentary races on Tuesday, a week after voting took place in an election marred by technical challenges.

SWAPO, which has governed the southern African nation since leading it to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990, fielded Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its presidential candidate. If victorious, she would become Namibia's first female leader.

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Results were initially expected a few days after the Nov 27 poll, but voting was extended to Nov 29 and Nov 30 at several polling stations after some voters were unable to cast their ballots on election day due to technical difficulties and ballot paper shortages.

At 0636 GMT, the electoral commission's election portal, opens new tab showed Nandi-Ndaitwah was leading the presidential race with 54.82 percent of the vote after 65.57 percent of votes had been counted.

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To win the presidency, a candidate must secure over 50 percent of votes, failing which a run-off is required.

Namibians vote separately for members of the National Assembly, and SWAPO led the ballot with 56.38 percent of the 66.39 percent of the votes tallied.

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Opposition candidate Panduleni Itula and his Independent Patriots for Change trailed a distant second, with 28.09 percent of the presidential vote and 19.23 percent of the vote for the National Assembly.