Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) denied allegations by the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) that it excluded Namibians who are in jail or in police custody across the nation from registering as voters for the November elections.
This comes after LPM spokesperson Lifalaza Simataa accused the electoral body of preventing incarcerated individuals from registering for voter cards.
“This unfair and intentional exclusion of inmates is robbing these Namibians of their democratic rights, further dehumanising and excluding them from society. As a government, we must ensure that we do not harm the human rights of any Namibian. Inmates are unable to leave correctional institutions to register to vote. Therefore, it is pivotal for ECN to be the institution that provides them with the means to register,” said Simataa.
However, ECN Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer, Peter Shaama responded on Tuesday, saying that the content of the LPM’s press release is devoid of truth and, therefore, misleading.
“In rebutting the unfounded allegations against the commission, we wish to record that the commission, in preparation for the conduct of the 2024 General Registration of Voters (GRV) consulted with the correctional facilities management and resolved to establish registration points at correctional facilities including police holding cells countrywide,” informed Shaama.
He added that this was done in compliance with Section 22(4) of the Electoral Act No. 5 of 2014, as amended.
The commission’s version and statement of its position are evidenced by the list of established registration points shared with all electoral stakeholders.
These include registered political parties and organisations or associations and were widely circulated on all platforms, including print and electronic media before the GRV began.
“As is evident from the GRV schedule, most of the correctional facilities and police holding cells have already been covered while some are still to be visited as per the registration schedule. As part of our targeted interventions aimed at ensuring that all Namibians who are eligible to register as voters are accorded the opportunity, the Commission, through its continuous monitoring and assessment efforts, established an additional 20 teams during the fourth week of GRV to cover an additional 120 places that were not adequately covered or where the dates initially allocated were not adequate,” he clarified.
Shaama pointed out that some of the registration points revisited through these interventions are correctional facilities.
This initiative was shared with all registered political parties and organisations at the Political Party Liaison Committee meeting held on 27 June.
“The Commission values constructive engagement and welcomes suggestions of specific registration points that might have been omitted for consideration and accommodation in the remaining 9 days of voter registration,” concluded Shaama.
