Stefanus Nashama
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced on Monday that it has begun issuing duplicate voter cards.
This process started on Monday and will run until 26 November across the country.
The issuance of duplicate cards is intended for voters who have lost or damaged their original voter cards.
The process does not apply to new voter registrations or changes to existing voter card details.
To apply for a duplicate voter card, registered voters must provide an affidavit from the police explaining the loss or damage, as well as a Namibian Identification Document (ID) or a valid Namibian passport.
Political analyst, Sakaria Johannes acknowledged the process and said it is part of the election process.
He added that it enables Namibians to participate in the elections scheduled for Wednesday.
“It’s a positive step because the ECN aims to give every Namibian the opportunity to take part in the elections,” he said.
Johannes raised concerns about the timeline for the process.
“I think the timeframe is insufficient. How can they be sure they will complete everything by November 26? Do they have statistics on how many people lost or damaged their voter cards, or how they plan to address this?” Johannes questioned.
He also asked why the ECN is issuing duplicates a day before the elections.
“My concern is whether they will be adequately prepared to manage the election process the next day,” he said.
Johannes acknowledged that some individuals did not register for voter cards for valid reasons.
“Such individuals should be allowed to register for voter cards, provided they have a valid reason,” he said.
However, he noted the time allotted for voter card registration was sufficient.
“The issue with people is their tendency to procrastinate,” Johannes said.
