ECN wants to ‘hand-pick’ ballot printers
Accused of ‘gambling’ with democracy
Opposition parties are rejecting the idea of a Swapo-led government granting exemption for ECN to cherry-pick a printer for the November election's ballot papers.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is facing resistance over plans to halt the ongoing bidding process to print ballot papers for next month’s general elections, as it rather wants to obtain an exemption to hand-pick a firm to do the job.
The commission and the party liaison committee were locked in intense meetings this week to discuss the matter as ECN sought blessings from political parties to approach the government for an exemption from going through the tendering process. The electoral body is allegedly afraid that the printing of the ballots might not be finalised before election day, especially if there are objections to the outcome of the tendering process.
The international bidding process to print the ballot papers for the 1 449 569 registered voters for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly Elections is currently ongoing, with the deadline for bid submissions set for 9 October.
Suspicions have emerged among political parties, who are now questioning ECN’s motive for wanting a hand-picked printer.
According to insiders who were part of the meetings, Monday’s sitting was short-lived following a deadlock on the matter, with political parties rejecting ECN’s plan. They reconvened yesterday and the parties still maintained their initial stance that the current bidding process should be allowed to run its course.
The meeting ended with ECN asking for more time to consider the best way forward, and promising to provide feedback before the end of this week.
‘Gambling with democracy’
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) secretary-general Manuel Ngaringombe accused ECN of “gambling with the country’s democracy”.
“The procurement laws are clear as to who qualifies for procurement exemption. ECN cannot get an exemption for its own failure to plan. They told us they are afraid if there are objections to the award process, it might delay the process and ballots will not be printed. It is our view that ECN should not preempt the process; let us allow it to run its course,” he told Namibian Sun yesterday.
“All these things are causing unnecessary panic in the country,” he added.
ECN’s proposed procurement method will see it inviting its preferred suppliers to submit their quotations.
‘Very suspicious’
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) also vehemently opposed ECN’s plans to seek an exemption.
At a press conference yesterday, LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi described the process as “very suspicious”.
“ECN has been consistently saying we are prepared for the elections, so what happened that they are now thinking of an exemption?” he wanted to know.
Swartbooi accused ECN of wanting to impose its decision on political parties. “ECN admitted that this is its own doing because someone slept on the job. If that is the case, then the commissioners must do the honourable thing and resign because they did not fulfill their oversight duties,” he charged.
He added: “They do not want an open process because of fear and they want this bid to go to their preferred companies on their database”.
Swartbooi said the current bidding process must be finalised as initially intended, “even if it means postponing the election date”.
'No crisis'
In a media release issued yesterday, ECN’s chief electoral and referenda officer Peter Shaama said “there is no crisis in so far as the execution of the electoral calendar is concerned”.
Shaama said the electoral body is still seized with the procurement process. "Needless to say, the commission remains steadfast in its mission to deliver on its constitutional mandate," the statement read.
“The commission asserts that all electoral activities - inclusive of the procurement of the requisite materials - remain on track. The commission is resolute in ensuring that the prospective bidder meets all necessary requirements, as per the bid specifications,” Shaama said.
The commission and the party liaison committee were locked in intense meetings this week to discuss the matter as ECN sought blessings from political parties to approach the government for an exemption from going through the tendering process. The electoral body is allegedly afraid that the printing of the ballots might not be finalised before election day, especially if there are objections to the outcome of the tendering process.
The international bidding process to print the ballot papers for the 1 449 569 registered voters for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly Elections is currently ongoing, with the deadline for bid submissions set for 9 October.
Suspicions have emerged among political parties, who are now questioning ECN’s motive for wanting a hand-picked printer.
According to insiders who were part of the meetings, Monday’s sitting was short-lived following a deadlock on the matter, with political parties rejecting ECN’s plan. They reconvened yesterday and the parties still maintained their initial stance that the current bidding process should be allowed to run its course.
The meeting ended with ECN asking for more time to consider the best way forward, and promising to provide feedback before the end of this week.
‘Gambling with democracy’
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) secretary-general Manuel Ngaringombe accused ECN of “gambling with the country’s democracy”.
“The procurement laws are clear as to who qualifies for procurement exemption. ECN cannot get an exemption for its own failure to plan. They told us they are afraid if there are objections to the award process, it might delay the process and ballots will not be printed. It is our view that ECN should not preempt the process; let us allow it to run its course,” he told Namibian Sun yesterday.
“All these things are causing unnecessary panic in the country,” he added.
ECN’s proposed procurement method will see it inviting its preferred suppliers to submit their quotations.
‘Very suspicious’
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) also vehemently opposed ECN’s plans to seek an exemption.
At a press conference yesterday, LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi described the process as “very suspicious”.
“ECN has been consistently saying we are prepared for the elections, so what happened that they are now thinking of an exemption?” he wanted to know.
Swartbooi accused ECN of wanting to impose its decision on political parties. “ECN admitted that this is its own doing because someone slept on the job. If that is the case, then the commissioners must do the honourable thing and resign because they did not fulfill their oversight duties,” he charged.
He added: “They do not want an open process because of fear and they want this bid to go to their preferred companies on their database”.
Swartbooi said the current bidding process must be finalised as initially intended, “even if it means postponing the election date”.
'No crisis'
In a media release issued yesterday, ECN’s chief electoral and referenda officer Peter Shaama said “there is no crisis in so far as the execution of the electoral calendar is concerned”.
Shaama said the electoral body is still seized with the procurement process. "Needless to say, the commission remains steadfast in its mission to deliver on its constitutional mandate," the statement read.
“The commission asserts that all electoral activities - inclusive of the procurement of the requisite materials - remain on track. The commission is resolute in ensuring that the prospective bidder meets all necessary requirements, as per the bid specifications,” Shaama said.
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