Political parties approve sample ballots
#namibiadecides2024
All 21 political parties and 15 presidential candidates contesting in the National Assembly and presidential elections have approved and signed off on the sample ballots.
Despite the brouhaha over the procurement process of the ballot papers for next month’s national elections, all 21 political parties and 15 presidential candidates contesting the National Assembly and presidential elections have approved and signed off on the sample ballots.
This was confirmed by Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) spokesperson De Wet Siluka yesterday.
Siluka said the political parties and the presidential candidates signed off on the samples on Tuesday morning.
The signing took place while the official opposition party, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), staged a demonstration from Katutura to ECN headquarters, calling on the commission to rescind its decision to award a N$6.2 million contract to Ren-Form CC to print the ballot papers for the upcoming elections.
While recent news headlines highlighted widespread concerns about the hand-picking of the printing firm – and the alleged bypassing of the country’s procurement laws – there’s been no further word on the parties’ threats to drag the electoral body to court to cancel the contract.
Still aggrieved
Eighteen political parties have also sent officials to South Africa to monitor the ballot design and printing process at the Ren-Form headquarters in Johannesburg – at the cost of ECN.
But although they have sent representatives, most opposition parties are still unhappy about the process that led to the Ren-Form award.
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) said their stance on the award of the ballot printing tender has not changed.
Lifalaza Simataa, LPM spokesperson, said the visit to the company would help representatives monitor the process, while adding they cannot allow the ECN to proceed without oversight.
“We believe that the rigging starts from the idea of the tender being awarded to these individuals. While that is being contested with our lawyers, we believe that it would be opportune for ECN, if they are rigging, for no political party to be present when the ballot papers are made.
"If we are there, we are able to see if the rigging is happening or takes place there or to ensure that ECN is threatened. We are complying with that, but also if ECN is doing everything above and beyond – therefore we can rubber stamp the election process,” he explained.
New election date
Meanwhile, Affirmative Repositioning (AR) head of legal, Maitjituavi Kavetu, said their stance remains unchanged, and they have even proposed that the ECN move the election date to December in compliance with the Electoral Act.
“Our position has not changed with regards to the award. We pointed out to ECN that the credibility of the election is not about the outcome but also about the printing of the ballot papers," Kavetu said.
"We also, as AR, evaluated litigation, and we hit the wall based on the advice from the attorney, that is why we did not proceed with courts. We were left with two devils – you risk not overseeing this process and protest in the streets, and our representative has experience in printing, and the alternative is the court or abiding by the ECN decision.”
PDM, the Republican Party and the Christian Democratic Voice snubbed the SA trip.
#namibiadecides2024
This was confirmed by Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) spokesperson De Wet Siluka yesterday.
Siluka said the political parties and the presidential candidates signed off on the samples on Tuesday morning.
The signing took place while the official opposition party, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), staged a demonstration from Katutura to ECN headquarters, calling on the commission to rescind its decision to award a N$6.2 million contract to Ren-Form CC to print the ballot papers for the upcoming elections.
While recent news headlines highlighted widespread concerns about the hand-picking of the printing firm – and the alleged bypassing of the country’s procurement laws – there’s been no further word on the parties’ threats to drag the electoral body to court to cancel the contract.
Still aggrieved
Eighteen political parties have also sent officials to South Africa to monitor the ballot design and printing process at the Ren-Form headquarters in Johannesburg – at the cost of ECN.
But although they have sent representatives, most opposition parties are still unhappy about the process that led to the Ren-Form award.
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) said their stance on the award of the ballot printing tender has not changed.
Lifalaza Simataa, LPM spokesperson, said the visit to the company would help representatives monitor the process, while adding they cannot allow the ECN to proceed without oversight.
“We believe that the rigging starts from the idea of the tender being awarded to these individuals. While that is being contested with our lawyers, we believe that it would be opportune for ECN, if they are rigging, for no political party to be present when the ballot papers are made.
"If we are there, we are able to see if the rigging is happening or takes place there or to ensure that ECN is threatened. We are complying with that, but also if ECN is doing everything above and beyond – therefore we can rubber stamp the election process,” he explained.
New election date
Meanwhile, Affirmative Repositioning (AR) head of legal, Maitjituavi Kavetu, said their stance remains unchanged, and they have even proposed that the ECN move the election date to December in compliance with the Electoral Act.
“Our position has not changed with regards to the award. We pointed out to ECN that the credibility of the election is not about the outcome but also about the printing of the ballot papers," Kavetu said.
"We also, as AR, evaluated litigation, and we hit the wall based on the advice from the attorney, that is why we did not proceed with courts. We were left with two devils – you risk not overseeing this process and protest in the streets, and our representative has experience in printing, and the alternative is the court or abiding by the ECN decision.”
PDM, the Republican Party and the Christian Democratic Voice snubbed the SA trip.
#namibiadecides2024
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