Allexer Namundjembo
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) said it values the recently released delimitation report, as it will aid in planning for the regional council and local authority elections scheduled for November this year.
In an interview with the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday, the ECN’s spokesperson, De Wet Siluka explained that the report, which was presented to President Nangolo Mbumba by the Delimitation and Demarcation Commission, provides essential information on constituency boundaries, allowing the Commission to begin preparations.
“The significance of the report is that, as a commission, the information includes the boundaries of constituencies, and we need to start planning in the conduct of supplementary registration of voters, and we have to find out if there are constituencies expanded and if there are additional constituencies,” Siluka said.
He confirmed that the ECN is moving ahead with preparations for the upcoming elections.
According to Siluka, it would be premature to speculate about the process before consulting key stakeholders, including political parties.
“In terms of the conduct of this year’s elections, it will be premature now to start preempting them, as we have to meet with the key stakeholders, which are political parties. But there are preparations that the Commission is busy with, and the Delimitation report is one of the steps that the Commission is taking,” he added.
Siluka said that once stakeholder consultations are completed, the Commission will establish a roadmap for the elections.
“We will then come up with the electoral calendar and then set up a roadmap. What is important to know is that the Commission will engage all key stakeholders to provide the direction, and we will outline the dates for supplementary registration voters, dates of issuing duplicate voter cards, and the dates of elections,” Siluka said.
During the presentation of the report, the Delimitation and Demarcation Commission confirmed that no additional regions would be created but that there would be new constituencies.
The commission, led by retired Judge Petrus Unengu, stated that while some proposals were rejected, seven regional adjustments, ten new constituencies, and 61 constituency boundary changes were recommended.
“This decision is based on the trend of other Southern African countries to have fewer regions,” Unengu said.
Fanuel Kaapama, a member of the Delimitation Commission, elaborated on the extensive consultation and preparation process involved in the report.
He explained that the initial three-month period was dedicated to logistical planning and regional consultations.
However, due to requests from some regions, the consultation period was extended.
“One month was already good, but at the request of some regions, we had to extend the term to allow for further consultation,” he noted.
He described the process as inclusive, with regional councils encouraged to engage directly with their communities.
“We didn’t just ask regional councillors what their people wanted. We asked them to bring their regional position in the presence of their people, allowing open debate and discussion,” he said.
Kaapama also noted that while the report outlines general recommendations, specific details on constituency divisions would only be disclosed after final approval.
“We did not go into the specifics because the report is not final. It will be reviewed by the Cabinet, who may agree or disagree with our recommendations,” Kaapama explained.
Balancing public interests with practical considerations was a key factor in the process. Kaapama emphasised the importance of finding a compromise between optimal constituency boundaries and the needs of local communities.
“While we strive for fairness in representation, we must also consider factors like accessibility, population density, and resource availability,” he added.
The extended consultation period was crucial in ensuring that all voices, particularly from rural areas, were heard and accounted for in the final recommendations.
