Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) chief electoral and referenda officer, Peter Shaama, assured the public that the national elections that are set for Wednesday will go ahead as planned, even though some polling officials are threatening to derail it because of a payment dispute.
This comes after some polling officials, who are currently undergoing training in Rundu, threatened to abandon the training, return to their houses and not work on election day.
They demanded an increase to their daily allowance from the current N$150 to N$300 per day.
On Sunday, ECN Regional Electoral Officer of the Kavango East region, Paules Sifire, told the group that those aggrieved with temporary employment contracts should politely exit the training centre and that he would address them later when he gets feedback.
He informed the aggrieved trainees that the matter was under review at the head office in Windhoek.
On Sunday, Shaama issued a statement in which he said that the commission remains committed to conducting free, fair, and credible elections, and preparations are proceeding as planned and urged all stakeholders to maintain confidence in the Commission’s readiness to fulfil its mandate.
‘’The commission issues this statement to address reported grievances raised by some polling officials who have recently undergone and completed training for the conduct of polling set for the 27th of November 2024. These grievances include a request for an increase in the daily training allowance of N$150 by 100%,’’ said Shaama.
He added that while the commission understands the financial pressures expressed by the officials, it is important to note that the disputed allowance which is the subject of the grievance was clearly stated in the advertised call for applications.
Applicants responding to this call accepted these terms upon selection and became contractually bound.
‘’The commission nevertheless wishes to inform all polling officials that it is attending to the matter and the grievances raised, with the intention of reaching an amicable solution. We extend our gratitude to all polling officials for their dedication and hard work in ensuring the success of the elections,’’ Shaama concluded.
