ECN rejects AR’s application
The country’s electoral agency is not entirely satisfied with an application by the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement to become a political party, and sent it back for fine-tuning, Namibian Sun has learnt.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) on Tuesday confirmed that it sent back the application, but spokesperson Mulauli Siluka refused to reveal the exact reason why it was not favourably considered.
The movement submitted its application to register as a political party in June, he said yesterday.
“On 26 June, the ECN received the application to register as a political party from AR. The application process is ongoing to ensure it complies with the provisions of the Electoral Act that stipulates the requirements for the registration of political parties,” Siluka said.
He would, however, not weigh in on what the specific issues were with AR’s application, and directed further questions to the movement itself.
Working on it
Some of the Act’s requirements are that the applicant should submit a declaration signed by at least 3 500 persons, distributed evenly from a minimum of seven regions, whose names appear on the national voters’ register to the effect that they support the registration of the political party.
AR’s legal head Maitjituavi Kavetu said the movement is addressing ECN’s concerns.
“We are unable to comment on that matter. We will handle it with ECN, but it is quite a minor issue,” Kavetu said.
The plan to transform into a political movement comes almost a decade after the pressure group was formed, a period which saw AR leaders stating on several occasions that they had no plans to pursue political ambitions.
If given the nod by the electoral body, AR will be able to contest in next year’s general elections as well as field a candidate for the presidential elections.
One of AR's founders, Job Amupanda, has already publicly announced his plans to run for president next year by making several pronouncements and anointing himself as the ‘incoming president’.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) on Tuesday confirmed that it sent back the application, but spokesperson Mulauli Siluka refused to reveal the exact reason why it was not favourably considered.
The movement submitted its application to register as a political party in June, he said yesterday.
“On 26 June, the ECN received the application to register as a political party from AR. The application process is ongoing to ensure it complies with the provisions of the Electoral Act that stipulates the requirements for the registration of political parties,” Siluka said.
He would, however, not weigh in on what the specific issues were with AR’s application, and directed further questions to the movement itself.
Working on it
Some of the Act’s requirements are that the applicant should submit a declaration signed by at least 3 500 persons, distributed evenly from a minimum of seven regions, whose names appear on the national voters’ register to the effect that they support the registration of the political party.
AR’s legal head Maitjituavi Kavetu said the movement is addressing ECN’s concerns.
“We are unable to comment on that matter. We will handle it with ECN, but it is quite a minor issue,” Kavetu said.
The plan to transform into a political movement comes almost a decade after the pressure group was formed, a period which saw AR leaders stating on several occasions that they had no plans to pursue political ambitions.
If given the nod by the electoral body, AR will be able to contest in next year’s general elections as well as field a candidate for the presidential elections.
One of AR's founders, Job Amupanda, has already publicly announced his plans to run for president next year by making several pronouncements and anointing himself as the ‘incoming president’.
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