Namibia goes to polls amid anger at high unemployment rate

Swapo’s national headquarters in Windhoek, Namibia, will await a nervy election night amid unhappiness at the country’s high unemployment rate. Photograph: Esther Mbathera/AP

Namibians are going to the polls with the longtime ruling party’s parliamentary majority under threat if dissatisfied young people turn out in big numbers amid a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment globally.

The Swapo party could also be forced to contest a second round in the presidential election for the first time since the sparsely populated southern African country became independent from South Africa in 1990.