Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Former Swapo think tank member and political analyst Ben Mulongeni has strongly criticised the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), describing it as an “incompetent body led by incompetent people.”
“Judging from the way they de-registered those two political parties without enough ground and lost the case, and now not having ballot papers ready a few weeks before special elections, the only conclusion one can make about ECN is incompetence,” said Mulongeni.
His remarks come in light of the ECN’s failure to secure a company to print and deliver ballot papers just weeks before the upcoming special elections.
“ECN is an incompetent body led by incompetent people. They knew about this issue the day they were appointed. Look at how they de-registered those two political parties without enough ground and ended up losing the case; what does that say? There is no other explanation for this other than incompetence,” stated Mulongeni.
Voting for Namibians based abroad, members of the security cluster and sea-going personnel will be conducted on 13 November.
Mulongeni proposed that the ECN management should step down from their current position, as their actions have resulted in a series of missteps.
“ECN must be fired. As a political observer, I am totally disappointed in the manner they have been handling this ballot paper issue. They are playing with our democracy and the future of this country. They are in charge of a process that is going to determine our next government, but they are coming at the last hour to tell us they are yet to choose who is going to print and deliver ballot papers,” he said.
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) president Mike Kavekotora stated that forcing the ECN to print ballot papers through an emergency tender process is a recipe for corruption and election rigging.
“What the commission is forcing to do is a formula for corruption, a formula for election rigging. ECN has never had a clear record of running elections. Our justice system is failing us. In 2009 they were supposed to nullify the election results, in 20219 the court was supposed to nullify the election results, but they didn’t do that,” said Kavekotora.
He accused ECN of collaborating with the ruling party Swapo to rig elections before election day, stating that Swapo has no issue with the emergency tender process to print the ballot papers.
“They have always sided with Swapo. We reject that. We are totally against the handpicking of a company to print ballot papers because it is a way of rigging elections before they start. Why do you think Swapo is silent on this matter? It’s because they know it’s in their favour. All the political parties are complaining, but Swapo is quiet. It is their plan with ECN,” he said.
Swapo spokesperson Hilma Nikanor referred the questions to the party deputy secretary general, Uahekua Herunga, who was unreachable.
The ECN’s spokesperson, De Wet Siluka said the decision to cancel the procurement process was arrived at in accordance with Section 54(1)(e) of the Public Procurement Act No. 15 of 2015 (as amended) and following consideration of various factors that may negatively affect the timely delivery of the ballot papers.
“The alternative procurement method will ensure timely delivery of the ballot papers for both 13 and 27 November 2024. So we urge the public not to panic. This decision was taken in the good spirit of our electoral democracy and in the interest of the Namibian citizens,” said Siluka.
