Live
27 November 2024
15h47
Keetmanshoop youth want hunger and unemployment eradicated
Young people at Keetmanshoop want their votes to help eradicate the country’s high rate of hunger and unemployment.
In addition, they also call for an overhaul of the national education system.
15H23
High voter turnout reported in Zambezi rural areas
Presiding officers in Zambezi’s rural areas say that they have recorded high voter turnout since the polling stations opened.
In an interview with The Namibian, Sachinga Combined School polling station presiding officer Njahi Ntengu noted that over 270 individuals have cast their votes, of which the majority are pensioners.
15H14
Higher turnout than expected at Keetmanshoop polling stations
Presiding officers in the Keetmanshoop rural and urban constituencies say they are observing a higher turnout than expected.
Presiding officer at the Disability Resource Centre polling station, Clarence Andries, says people started arriving at 05h30 on Wednesday morning, ranging from the elderly to young people who wanted to cast their votes before the long queues.
12h35
Oshana vendors’ businesses ‘thrive’ on election day
Many street vendors in Oshana region have taken election day as an opportunity for their small businesses to thrive ahead of election day.
According to the vendors, election day has allowed them to market their products and make earnings to feed their families.
12h00
Keetmanshoop prioritises access to democracy for vulnerable groups
Keetmanshoop hopes to emphasise access to democracy for elders, people with disabilities, and nursing mothers during the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Eligible voters turned up as early as 05h30 to queue up and cast their votes on Wednesday morning.
11h21
Prime minister calls for patience
Prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has urged those in queues waiting to cast their votes to remain patient despite delays.
“The process was smooth for me, I urge everyone to come out and cast their vote,” she said.
11h10
Slow start for voting at Katima Mulilo
Some polling stations in the Katima Mulilo Urban constituency reported a slow turnout of voters on Wednesday morning.
The 16 polling stations at the town opened at 07h00 to allow for 21 160 voters registered in the constituency to cast their votes in the presidential and National Assembly elections.
11h05
Schlettwein has his last dance
Agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein cast his last ballot in his capacity as a minister in Windhoek on Wednesday, after serving the country in government for more than three decades.
Schlettwein says the election will be a way to give a new generation a chance to take over.
10h59
Shaningwa encourages voters to take part in elections
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa has encouraged Namibians to show up in numbers at polling stations to cast their votes in today’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
Shaningwa spoke to Desert FM this morning after casting her vote at Emma Hoogenhout Primary School in Windhoek.
10h43
Itula urges voters to honour democratic sacrifices
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula says democracy is critical for Namibia and citizens have a responsibility to shape the country’s future through their votes.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday before casting his vote in the ongoing presidential and National Assembly elections, Itula reflected on the historical sacrifices made to achieve Namibia’s democratic system.
09h43
Chairs, selfies, sunscreens and food in election lines
Some voters queuing to cast their votes have brought chairs, food and sunscreens to protect themselves from the sun. Some young people were also seen taking selfies while waiting in lines at polling stations.
09h36
Nandi-Ndaitwah preaches resources sharing
Vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says her government will change policies to ensure Namibians benefit from the country’s natural resources, like the oil and gas discoveries.
Nandi-Ndaitwah says the government will take a balanced approach to ensure investors can make a profit, while protecting Namibians.
07h25
06h38
US Embassy cautions citizens about potential demonstrations in Namibia
THE United States (US) Embassy in Namibia has advised its citizens in the country to avoid large crowds, as demonstrations may occur. This notice was issued on the embassy’s social media accounts ahead of Namibia’s presidential and National Assembly elections on Wednesday.
06h37
26 November 2024
Continuity or Change: Namibia faces historic election decision
Tomorrow’s elections could see the nation elect its first woman president, witness an opposition party taking power for the first time, or usher in Namibia’s youngest president.
This decision rests with the voters, who will choose between continuity with Swapo or political change.
//Kharas deploys 665 polling officials
//Kharas chief electoral officer Kaino Mujoro says the electoral commission is deploying 665 polling officials across the region.
This is to give all eligible voters the opportunity to exercise their democratic right by casting their vote during Wednesday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
ECN faces backlash over voter’s card discrepancies
Party representatives at the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) headquarters have expressed a lack of confidence in the commission following the continued issuance of new voter’s cards instead of duplicates on Tuesday.
A scuffle broke out between party representatives and the commission following a tip-off that the commission was issuing original cards at their offices.
ECN provides prepaid electricity to 20 schools in Oshikoto
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN)’s Oshikoto regional electoral officer, Ester Hipangelwa, has confirmed that they are providing electricity to 20 schools in the region from which their teams will operate on election day.
Hipangelwa in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday said they are purchasing prepaid electricity to top up at various schools in the region.
Political rallies boost Northern Namibia room occupancy
Northern Namibia recorded its highest occupancy rate of 72.38% in October, rising from 68.67% in September. This is largely due to increased demand from political rallies held in the area, latest data shows.
Central Namibia saw an improvement of 55%, supported by various social events in Windhoek.
Walvis residents determined to vote despite bad weather
Walvis Bay residents say bad weather conditions at the town will not to stop them from voting tomorrow.
The town has experienced strong winds for the past few days, which worsened on Tuesday.
Namibia goes to polls: Sadc calls for calm, peaceful elections
SADC has urged Namibians to vote peacefully for their new leaders in adherence to the revised Sadc Principles and Guidelines governing democratic elections.
NEFF questions ECN’s election readiness as vehicle shortfall remains unresolved 24 hours before polls
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has expressed a lack of confidence in the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s abillity to manage a successful election 24 hours before the polls open.
In a press statement on Tuesday, NEFF deputy leader Kalimbo Iipumbu said the commission has not disclosed whether it has managed to procure all the vehicles needed for Wednesday.
Omusati police order strict surveillance of ballot boxes ahead of elections
Omusati police commander commissioner Ismael Basson has instructed officers deployed at various polling stations not to leave ballot boxes unattended.
He was addressing officers during a parade at Outapi on Tuesday morning.
Communications authority bans campaign broadcasts 48 hours before elections
Political parties running for the elections on Wednesday have been restricted from broadcasting campaign messages two days ahead of the poll.
This order has been made by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) via a memo dated 22 November.
Erongo polling stations ready
THE Electoral Commission of Namibia’s preparations for polling in the Erongo region are in full swing.
Officials on Tuesday expressed their readiness for the election scheduled to commence at 07h00 on Wednesday.
Key constituencies, including Dâures, Omaruru, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay Rural, and Walvis Bay Urban, have confirmed that materials and teams are in place to ensure a smooth voting process.
Is Namibia going to elect its first female leader?
If things work out as Namibia’s long-time governing party hopes, the country will be electing its first female head of state this week.
But a mood of disillusionment with liberation movements in southern Africa, coupled with the anti-incumbency feeling in many parts of the world, may pose a threat to what would be an historic achievement.
Namibia to vote in toughest election yet for ruling party
REUTERS: Namibians will vote on Wednesday in what is expected to be the most competitive election yet for the ruling SWAPO party, which has governed the southern African nation for 34 years.
If SWAPO candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah wins, she will become the country’s first female president. A SWAPO loss would mean the first transition of power to a new party since Namibia gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
Omusati police deploy 292 officers to polling stations
Omusati police commander commissioner Ismael Basson announces the deployment of 292 officers to polling stations across five constituencies ahead of the Wednesday Presidential and National Assembly Election.
Polling officials boycott, demand daily rate increase adjustment by N$100
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has increased daily training rates for polling officials by N$100 following demands for higher allowances.
On Sunday, some of the would-be polling officials were intending to boycott signing contracts, demanding for an increase in their daily training rate from N$150 to N$300 in the Kavango West and up to N$10 000 in the Erongo region.
25 November 2024
Mbumba ‘happy’ with manner in which politicians campaigned
President Nangolo Mbumba says he is pleased with the manner in which leaders of political parties and Namibians have conducted themselves during the campaign period.
He said this in a speech on Monday ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections on 27 November.
4 600 Namibian Police officers deployed for elections, inspector general Shikongo says
They will be deploying over 4 600 officers across the country to ensure the safety and integrity of the electoral process.
Police inspector general Joseph Shikongo confirmed this during the promotion ceremony of 2 990 police officers, which also included the conferment of new ranks, on Monday morning.
Namibia Fact Check warns of foreign influence and smear campaigns targeting Itula ahead of elections
Namibia Fact Check has expressed concern over recent social media attacks targeting opposition presidential candidate Panduleni Itula, along with the possiblility of foreign influence being at play.
“The upsurge in the smears against a certain opposition presidential candidate is highly concerning, especially as it appears there’s a foreign influence operation possibly at play,” Namibia Fact Check editor Frederico Links said yesterday.
Nauyoma’s U-turn: rejoins Swapo after AR stint
Swapo’s prodigal son and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) co-founder Dimbulukeni Nauyoma says he doesn’t care to listen to “street pedestrians” who have labelled him a sell-out.
Nauyoma rejoined Swapo yesterday after the, former Windhoek mayor Job Amupanda and George Kambala founded the AR movement as a pressure group in November 2014, following widespread concerns about the Windhoek municipality’s land delivery.
Zambezi gets 260 vehicles, 2 helicopters for elections
Zambezi regional Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) says that they have so far obtained 260 vehicles and two helicopters ahead of elections.
Regional electoral officer Lesley Simwanza said this on Monday. He added that the whole fleet of 271 is being hired for the elections.
The region would have procured all vehicles by Monday.
Swartbooi questions credibility of SADC election observer Mission
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi has raised questions on the composition of the Southern African Development Community Electoral Observer Mission (Seom).
He says the mission lacks credibility. Speaking to Desert Radio on Friday, Swartbooi asked why Zimbabweans are included in the mission, despite the country’s “lack of credibility” in running its own elections.
Itula promises to prioritise Namibian well-being
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula says green hydrogen in Namibia has become another Fishrot, where money that was invested into the project keeps on disappearing without any trace.
Itula says it is absolutely disgusting and questionable for the money invested into green hydrogen projects to disappear with no trace and that no one is being held accountable.
ECN to increase daily rate for polling officials after strike threats
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has announced that it will pay polling officials N$476 after training officials threatened to strike during the election.
Some polling trainees in the Kavango East and West regions, who began their training on 15 November, demanded their training allowance be increased from N$150 to N$300 over the weekend.
Amupanda accuses defence ministry of fabricating N$8-million car part quotation in corruption scandal
Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job Amupanda has accused the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs of fabricating a quotation to buy a million-dollar car part.
The alleged purchase amounted to N$8 million. This is as the defence ministry on Saturday said it was analysing and investigating the authenticity of letters Amupanda has presented.
24 November 2024
Ian Khama calls for SADC sanctions and expulsion of Zimbabwe if election interference allegations prove true
Former Botswana president Ian Khama has called for sanctions against Zimbabwe if its ruling party is proven to have interfered in neighbouring countries’ elections.
The proposed sanctions against the Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF) should include possible expulsion from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), he says.
23 November 2024
23 November 2024
Moving Namibia in the Right Direction
Over the past six months, in the build-up to Namibia’s 27 November elections, Namibians have spent far too much time talking about who will win, and nowhere near enough looking into the manner in which an ‘upset’ would change the country.
Perhaps this is due to an unwillingness to believe that an upset will occur, or perhaps it is an unwillingness to recognise that the political system in the country, and the material outcomes it delivers for the public at large, matter and should matter to all Namibians.
21 November 2024
Namibian elections ahead — here’s what you need to know
The South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo), is facing its most difficult election to date, following a trend of former liberation movements losing grip on power across the region.
10 October 2024
Swapo could be the next former liberation movement to lose its grip on power
Over the past six months, in the build-up to Namibia’s 27 November elections, Namibians have spent far too much time talking about who will win, and nowhere near enough looking into the manner in which an ‘upset’ would change the country.
Perhaps this is due to an unwillingness to believe that an upset will occur, or perhaps it is an unwillingness to recognise that the political system in the country, and the material outcomes it delivers for the public at large, matter and should matter to all Namibians.
Parties and Promises
Political party manifestos should spell out what the various competing party positions are on the most critical socio-economic issues facing the country. With the Presidential and National Assembly elections days away, following are the positions of the political parties for which manifestos are accessible on arguably the four (4) most critical socio-economic issues affecting Namibians. These
issues are: Unemployment, education, gender-based violence and access to land.
What are political parties saying about addressing education?
- •Fast-track the full integration of pre-primary (PP) and early child-hood development (ECD) into the mainstream education system and formulate a framework to guide and regulate the delivery of ECD for a strong foundation.
- •Upgrade and renovate school in- frastructure by building additional special schools, classrooms, toilets, laboratories, hostels and sport facilities in areas with urgent needs to deliver high-quality education. Read more
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)
- • Implement strong financial, human resource and infrastructural investments at early childhood and pre-primary level that will lay a strong foundation for all pupils.
- • Endeavour to achieve equity in school education by running double school intake programmes with morning and afternoon classes, with further emphasis on quality of learning. Read more
National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo)
- • Reform the education sector through a collaborative approach of all key stakeholders, including teachers’ and students’ unions, parents and development partners towards a more inclusive, teacher-centred approach and market-oriented education system.
- Make Grade 12 compulsory again for all pupils as the key to tertiary institutions. Read more
Landless People’s Movement (LPM)
- • Overhaul education by integrating various educational streams into
one curriculum. - • Reform the educational system to integrate vocational, technical, academic, arts, sport and recreational streams into the curriculum to exploit the full potential of the Namibian child and do away with the so-called school dropouts. Read more
Swanu of Namibia (Swanu)
- •The objective of the Namibian education system should be grounded in an indigenous system with a work-oriented curriculum in that:
(i) The indigenous system’s way of teaching can be achieved whereby the tertiary education system’s research and development are aligned with the old way of living; for example, medication to treat smallpox or coughing can be derived from goat manure, or blindness can be overcome
with products of urinary derivatives.
(ii) With a work-oriented curriculum the system should strive to solve everyday problems.
For example, at both primary and secondary levels, pupils should be taught trades like:
a) carpentry skills to be able to fix desks;
b) basic welding to be able to produce items for land cultivation;
c) needlework for fashion design, etc. Read more
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF)
- • The NEFF government will offer free, quality education for all Namibians from early childhood development up to post-graduate
level. - • All student debt owed to institutions of higher learning will be cancelled by the NEFF government. Read more
- • To involve all stakeholders in creating a more advanced Namibian education system.
- • The current system is resulting in inferior degrees, diplomas and certificates. Read more
- • Investing in quality education to empower the youth with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Read more
Affirmative Repositioning (AR)
- • The creation of two new universities: The number of pupils in primary and secondary schools has moved closer to 1 million. Census figures have further indicated the number of young people has grown significantly. The AR government will set in motion plans to create two universities over the next 10 years. Read more
National Democratic Party (NDP)
- • The NDP will implement free education for all from pre-primary to tertiary level to accommodate both the rich and the less privileged.
- • The NDP government will introduce free education, not free education on paper, but decolonised education for all, incorporating
topics pertaining to indigenous knowledge, sovereignty and economic freedom in the curricula. Read more
- • Address the current challenges of education and ensure universally accessible quality free education to all Namibians is
provided up to PhD level. - • Ensure that every Namibian gets an equal opportunity to obtain an education in Namibia that will guarantee them job opportunities, entrepreneurship and a better life for the future. Read more
National Empowerment Fighting Corruption (NEFC)
- • Pre-primary education
Private individuals, corporate bodies and voluntary agencies will be encouraged to participate in the provision of pre-primary education under government guidelines to ensure quality control. - • Primary education
Every child of primary school age will be given compulsory access to education through the use of indigenous languages at this level of education. The number of school dropouts from this level of education will be minimised and the formation of parent-teacher associations will be encouraged. Read more
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC)
- • Increase the tertiary education enrolent rate from 24% to 40% within six years.
- • Achieve a 95% literacy rate across all age groups within a decade. Read more
What are parties saying about creating jobs?
- • Encourage the setting up of new factories and manufacturing plants and companies for job creation.
- • Expand opportunities for internships across the public and private sectors, including through the Youth Internship Tax Incentive Programme and National Apprenticeship Programme under the National Training Authority (NTA) to provide work-integrated
learning for the purpose of exposure and accrual of experience necessary for employment. Read more
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF)
- • The NEFF government will pursue massive, protected and sustainable industrial development and diversification to create thousands of decent jobs between 2025 and 2029. This will be achieved through state-led industrialisation, protection of infant industries, subsidies, increased tariffs and state-aided marketing of Namibian products within and beyond the continent. Read more
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC)
- •Radically reform the business climate to ensure Namibia moves from ranked in the bottom half of the world to the top 25% of nations by 2030 through a red-tape cutting committee with an evergreen mandate to continuously reduce and remove unnecessary regulations and restrictions, and to improve efficiency in implementing required regulations and restrictions. Read more
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)
- • As part of our decisive policy interventions to decrease unemployment to 11% by 2029, the PDM government will establish at least one manufacturing or processing industry in all 121 constituencies in Namibia as growth poles that would accelerate the development of those areas and create jobs for our youth. Read more
Landless People’s Movement (LPM)
- • The LPM will ensure 70% local beneficiation from immediate to medium-term of all natural resources to create industries and
much-needed employment. We will reach 100% in the long term. Read more
National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo)
- • Nurture, develop, and harness artistic talent among the youth to produce a pool of competent creative artists who can
grow Namibia’s creative and cultural industries and bring economic prosperity. Read more
National Democratic Party of Namibia (NDP)
- •The NDP will establish and strengthen state-owned housing and roads construction companies that will deal with the social housing and roads infrastructure backlog. In the short to medium term, this will result in nearly 500 000 jobs. Read more
Affirmative Repositioning (AR)
- • The AR government will register all unemployed graduates for purposes of job creation through a graduate intervention programme. Read more
United Democratic Front of Namibia (UDF)
- • UDF pledges to initiate SME start-up funding programmes to assist the youth to create new ventures and to make a meaningful contribution to Namibia’s economic growth. Read more
National Empowerment Fighting Corruption (NEFC)
- • The NEFC party will implement policies to help create more small businesses at the forefront of our economic agenda for change. Financing more SMEs and Namibians to run and own their own businesses, and in turn employ others, is key. Read more
- • The agricultural sector offers the greatest potential for alleviating unemployment in Namibia, improved agricultural production is the bedrock of self-employment under the Swanu-led government. Increases in farm-level productivity are key to job creation and economic transformation in Namibia. However, this can only be achieved if local farmers are protected by encouraging greater production of grain products to meet its food security goals. Read more
- • To have the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation include an employment creation and poverty reduction unit, with employment creation units at all major towns across Namibia. Read more
What are parties saying on land matters?
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF)
- •The NEFF will pass legislation to place all land under the custodianship of the state, which will then equitably redistribute land to Namibians to address and correct the apartheid-era colonial land distribution, which has persisted for 34 years. Read more
National Democratic Party (NDP)
- •The NDP will foster equitable land redistribution. Read more
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)
- • The PDM will provide policies that protect land rights and tenure security for smallholder farmers, promote equitable access to land resources and foster long-term agricultural investments. Read more
National Empowerment Fighting Corruption (NEFC)
- • The NEFC Party regards land as a birthright for all Namibians and that it is a prerequisite for all Namibians to own land with an option to pay for it after receiving the land. Namibians are, however, only allowed to sell the land acquired from the government after 25 years as the aim is economic development and wealth creation for citizens. Read more
- • Ensure responsible land management and promote sustainable mining practices through stringent mining operations and responsible closures of mines. Read more
United Democratic Front of Namibia (UDF)
- • State-owned land is to be released in communal areas immediately for reform purposes. Read more
Republican Party of Namibia (RP)
- • The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform will include Lands Resettlement under its mandate. Read more
- • Return stolen land to the indigenous people. Read more
- • Address historical injustices and ensure equitable access to land for all Namibians. Read more
National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO)
- • Return ancestral land rights to those Namibians who lost land because of colonial dispossession and genocide.
- • Abolish foreign land ownership. Read more
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC)
- • Develop a detailed and transparent natural resource management plan to extract maximum long-term sustainable benefit for the broad Namibian population from national resources, including mineral resources, land, national parks, timber and forests, marine stocks and water resources. Read more
Landless People’s Movement (LPM)
- • Implement comprehensive legal reforms for local authorities to expand their jurisdiction over land administration.
- • The agricultural sector will be restructured through extensive land redistribution and investments in agro-industrial
development, ensuring that local production meets domestic needs before targeting international markets. Read more
Affirmative Repositioning (AR)
- • The AR government will ensure that the bill it has written and submitted to parliament is passed to prohibit and regulate the ownership of land by foreign nationals. In terms of this law, no foreigner will be allowed to own communal land by any means. Foreigners will only be allowed to lease agricultural land following a determination as laid down in the law. Foreigners who already own commercial agricultural land, will not be allowed to sell this land to other foreign nationals. Read more
What are parties saying about addressing gender-based violence (GBV)?
- • Reduce the prevalence of GBV and increase protection for women and girls by strengthening GBV awareness and prevention through public campaigns, protection centres, and specialised police units to render multi-sectoral and integrated service delivery. Read more
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM)
- • Create specialised courts and police units to deal with sexual and gender-based violence. Read more
Landless People’s Movement (LPM)
- • An LPM government is aware that there is insufficient information as to the root causes of the violence generated in our country. In particular, GBV and child afflicting violence, including child rape, are all matters that require in-depth studies and redress to be sought. The focus should be on the boy-child, who these days is left behind, and society is already witnessing the sad state of the boy child in Namibia. Read more
National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO)
- • Pursue inclusivity through the promotion of gender equality and the eradication of disparities. Read more
Independant Patriots for change (IPC) – GBV not included in manifesto
SWANU – GBV not included in manifesto
Republican Party (RP) – GBV not included in manifesto
Affirmative Repositioning (AR)– GBV not included in manifesto
United Democratic Front (UDF) – GBV not included in manifesto
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) – GBV not included in manifesto
National Democratic Party (NDP)
- •The NDP recognises and acknowledges that women’s struggles have worsened in the past 34 years of the democratic dispensation, with women suffering all forms of violations and brutality from all walks of life, especially from the government itself. Namibia is a deeply violent society that continues to wrestle with the impact of decades of institutionalised racism, sexism, exclusion, structural violence and other factors that have continued to undermine human development and positive social cohesion. Read more
National Empowerment Fighting Corruption (NEFC)
- • Living against a backdrop of crime is a daily reality for Namibians: violent crime, property crime, gender-based crime and all the many variances inbetween. According to the Namibian Police, Namibia’s overall crime rate is alarming and a great concern of security for the nation. Murder and gender violence rates have increased significantly and people are being robbed day and night on the streets and our security forces are nowhere to be found.
- • We will emphasise the safety of women and men and set new standards for tackling domestic and sexual violence. Read more
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