Maria Hamutenya
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has conceded that it will pay political parties’ cost for their participation in the election re-runs in Koës, Aroab, Stampriet Local authorities and Mariental Rural Constituency now scheduled for Friday, 26 February.
The ECN had previous hinted that it might appeal the ruling handed by Judge Shafimana Ueitele in the Electoral Court’s judgement in December, depending on the reasons given that the commission should carry the cost for political parties to participate in the rerun of the polls as it was not within its mandate.
“The court order will be complied with and the N$50 000 will be paid to those that will participate in the regional council elections, and N$25000 for those to participate in the local authority elections,” Advocate Notemba Tjipueja told the Windhoek Observer.
Chief Electoral Officer of the ECN, Theo Mujoro, on Monday announced that logistical preparations for the holding of reruns in the localities and constituencies are on course, of which (21) polling stations will be used, (9) fixed and (12) mobile stations.
“All voting material and equipment to be used in the election will be escorted by the Namibian police and kept in the safe custody at designated police stations before and after the polling process. ECN has already secured sufficient vehicles for the forthcoming elections,” said Mujoro.
“The recruitment of polling officials for Koës, Aroab, Stampriet local authorities and Mariental Rural Constituency have been finalised and training of election officials, party agents and police officers is scheduled to take place from the 20th – 24th February.”
The rerun comes after the ECN alleged irregularities during the elections at Koës, Aroab and Stampriet, as well as the Mariental Rural Constituency, after about 127 voters at Aroab and 227 at Koës voted using the wrong ballot papers.
Those ballot papers, according to the ECN, were meant to be used at Keetmanshoop.
The parties and Independent candidate contesting the upcoming elections are the Landless People’s Movement, Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO)
