Tempers flare over poll ‘blunders’
Political parties are up in arms over the Electoral Commission of Namibia's (ECN) handling of the electoral affairs of the country, with some political actors accusing the commission of failing to take the nation into its confidence regarding the status of the voting process.
By midday yesterday, some polling stations across the country were still allowing voters to cast their votes, following a directive from ECN headquarters that polling stations must remain open – even well after the 21:00 deadline – until further notice.
Frustrated politicians voiced their displeasure, with some citing fears of vote rigging and accusing the commission of gross incompetence.
In a bid to quell the frustrations, ECN yesterday invited political party representatives for a consultative meeting at its offices in order to provide an update as well as share the details on how the process of verifying and announcing the results will be conducted.
When the political party representatives arrived at the meeting, ECN subsequently called it off without sharing the reasons for the decision.
Serious concerns raised
This infuriated party members, who then called their own meeting in the main boardroom of the commission’s headquarters at 15:00.
In that meeting, the representatives deliberated on the way forward. They were then joined by their respective party leaders, such as McHenry Venaani (PDM), George Kambala (AR), Bernadus Swartbooi (LPM) and Mike Kavekotora (RDP), among others.
Independent Patriots For Change’s (IPC) national general secretary Christine Aochamus, while briefing the media on the outcome of the meeting, said they remain in the dark over the way forward for the leaders because ECN had not provided any updates. Party leaders, Aochamus said, will brief the nation on the way forward by today.
The leaders did not hide their displeasure towards the manner in which ECN conducted Wednesday’s polls.
Venaani, on Wednesday evening, called for a press conference where he tore into the ECN.
He accused ECN of suppressing the voters by depriving them of their right to vote.
“ECN has adopted systemic tactics to suppress voter interest. Their failure to comply with the law has placed the nation in a crisis,” Venaani charged.
“Even the counting of votes will be done on the basis of exclusion, seeing that many of our people could not vote due to the challenges experienced," he added.
Insults hurled
Yesterday’s meeting was also marred by clashes after IPC’s spokesperson, Imms Nashinge, got entangled in a verbal fight with Swapo Party secretary general Sophia Shaningwa.
Nashinge was unhappy as he felt “you [ECN], you are giving her special treatment and you are walking as if you own this building”.
Nashinge said Shaningwa was ushered into the waiting area near ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua’s office, while the rest of the party representatives were waiting in the public lobby of the commission.
Shaningwa retaliated by hurling insults at Nashinge as both lost their tempers.
The fight did not end in the building. After Shaningwa and her entourage left the ECN premises, her former personal assistant, Cadas Haindongo, who now serves as the party’s deputy executive director, got into an altercation with Nashinge.
Haindongo was agitated because Nashinge allegedly called him “Shaningwa’s bodyguard”.
#NamibiaDecides2024
By midday yesterday, some polling stations across the country were still allowing voters to cast their votes, following a directive from ECN headquarters that polling stations must remain open – even well after the 21:00 deadline – until further notice.
Frustrated politicians voiced their displeasure, with some citing fears of vote rigging and accusing the commission of gross incompetence.
In a bid to quell the frustrations, ECN yesterday invited political party representatives for a consultative meeting at its offices in order to provide an update as well as share the details on how the process of verifying and announcing the results will be conducted.
When the political party representatives arrived at the meeting, ECN subsequently called it off without sharing the reasons for the decision.
Serious concerns raised
This infuriated party members, who then called their own meeting in the main boardroom of the commission’s headquarters at 15:00.
In that meeting, the representatives deliberated on the way forward. They were then joined by their respective party leaders, such as McHenry Venaani (PDM), George Kambala (AR), Bernadus Swartbooi (LPM) and Mike Kavekotora (RDP), among others.
Independent Patriots For Change’s (IPC) national general secretary Christine Aochamus, while briefing the media on the outcome of the meeting, said they remain in the dark over the way forward for the leaders because ECN had not provided any updates. Party leaders, Aochamus said, will brief the nation on the way forward by today.
The leaders did not hide their displeasure towards the manner in which ECN conducted Wednesday’s polls.
Venaani, on Wednesday evening, called for a press conference where he tore into the ECN.
He accused ECN of suppressing the voters by depriving them of their right to vote.
“ECN has adopted systemic tactics to suppress voter interest. Their failure to comply with the law has placed the nation in a crisis,” Venaani charged.
“Even the counting of votes will be done on the basis of exclusion, seeing that many of our people could not vote due to the challenges experienced," he added.
Insults hurled
Yesterday’s meeting was also marred by clashes after IPC’s spokesperson, Imms Nashinge, got entangled in a verbal fight with Swapo Party secretary general Sophia Shaningwa.
Nashinge was unhappy as he felt “you [ECN], you are giving her special treatment and you are walking as if you own this building”.
Nashinge said Shaningwa was ushered into the waiting area near ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua’s office, while the rest of the party representatives were waiting in the public lobby of the commission.
Shaningwa retaliated by hurling insults at Nashinge as both lost their tempers.
The fight did not end in the building. After Shaningwa and her entourage left the ECN premises, her former personal assistant, Cadas Haindongo, who now serves as the party’s deputy executive director, got into an altercation with Nashinge.
Haindongo was agitated because Nashinge allegedly called him “Shaningwa’s bodyguard”.
#NamibiaDecides2024
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