Only about half the 8 214 registered voters in the constituency - 4 494 - turned out to vote.

Swapo won the election with 4 193 votes, while the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) gained 289 votes, the Congress of Democrats (CoD) 12 votes, and 13 ballots were spoilt.

Most of the RDP and CoD votes came from voters at Eenhana town, while Swapo got its votes both from the town and the surrounding villages, but mostly from the villages.

Nehemia Haufiku stood as Swapo candidate, while Thomas Ndiwakalunga stood as RDP candidate and Sakaria Theophelus, who didn't vote himself, apparently because he is not from Eenhana Constituency, stood for the CoD.

According to the law a candidate who is not from a specific constituency cannot vote there but can stand for election there, with the condition that he or she must move to that constituency within three months after winning such an election.

The Acting Director of the Electoral Commission, Moses Ndjarakana, told The Namibian that the election was free and fair without any problems.

Haufiku said he was very happy that the people of Eenhana constituency had spoken hard and clear, that they still stood behind the Swapo party.

He said he would work very hard to see to it that the people from Eenhana are served properly.

"Swapo did know that it would win this by-election easily, because we know our people," he said.

RDP candidate Ndiwakalunga said it was a test of democracy in the country and his party would continue working harder to one day win an election in the constituencies and regions.

"Let the people speak.

That is their right," Ndiwakalunga said before the election results were announced.

"We are a very young political party, only four months old.

This is our first test, and we will work harder to improve in the future," said Martin Haikali, one of the RDP branch co-ordinators in the North.

However, one of the RDP leaders, Peter Naholo, who was one of the party's counting agents, said the election process as such might have been free and fair, but the election campaign was totally unfair and not free because there had been intimidation and harassment by Swapo leaders against other political parties' mobilisers, especially those of the RDP.

He said Ohangwena Governor Usko had invited village headmen from Eenhana constituency to feasts where he gave them food, drinks and gifts and told them not to allow other political parties, especially the RDP, to campaign in their villages.

"We are not crying foul, but there have been many intimidations and harassments against our people," Naholo said.

Swapo held a big march at Eenhana on Saturday and Haufiku, the newly elected Swapo Councillor for Eenhana constituency, used the opportunity to thank the voters and promise them that he would work hard to improve their living conditions.

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