Stefanus Nashama
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has confirmed that two of its missing 117 laptops were recovered in the logistics store room at its headquarters.
This was confirmed by the ECN Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer, Theo Mujoro, in response to a letter of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) member, Ivan Skrywer, who wrote to the ECN after the party was informed by close sources that two of the 117 laptops that went missing in January 2023 were recovered.
Mujoro confirmed the recovery of the two laptops and said that the recovery was reported to the investigation officer. However, he did not specify when and how the two laptops were recovered, and by who.
He said that the ECN is not in a position to make a pronouncement at this stage regarding the matter, adding that the ECN is allowing the investigation to take its course without any hindrance.
“The ECN is in no position to pronounce itself on this matter. However, we can assure the public that internal disciplinary processes and procedures have been initiated,” he said.
He stressed that investigations are ongoing with the Namibian Police.
He also indicated that the ECN will by no means make use of the recovered laptops in the 2024/25 National Assembly and Presidential Election as well as the Regional and Local Authority election or by-election as speculated.
It is reported that 117 laptops were missing at the ECN Headquarters in January 2023. A criminal case has since been registered under – CR 277/01/2023.
Skrywer told the Windhoek Observer that the ECN lacks transparency and accountability, alleging that democracy is compromised.
“We do not trust ECN and what they are doing, therefore we do not accept this light and nonsensical response to the least. Why does the ECN have a stakeholders committee if things are hidden? It is very suspicious that ECN recovered the laptops and does not bother to inform the stakeholders. Who recovered the laptops? Who brought the back to the ECN headquarters?”Skrywer questioned.
