Amid a wave of historic election upsets in Southern Africa, Namibians will go to the polls this week to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections set to be the most competitive and tightly contested yet.

If things work out as Namibia’s long-time governing party hopes, the country will be electing its first female head of state this week. But a mood of disillusionment with liberation movements in southern Africa, coupled with the anti-incumbency feeling in many parts of the world, may pose a threat to what would be an historic achievement.

Namibia’s Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah could become the country’s first female president if she wins the presidential election Wednesday.