MINISTER of Presidential Affairs Dr Albert Kawana yesterday confirmed the appointment of the five Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) commissioners.
The letters of appointment of the commissioners went out on August 23 through the office of the ECN director Moses Njarakana.
The appointed commissioners are Rodney Guiseb, Barney Karuuombe, Notemba Tjipueja [who served as a commissioner during the pervious term], Albertina Nangolo, and Ulrich Freyer. Those not appointed from the 15 shortlisted, are Professor Joseph Diescho, Kaiata Kangueehi, Petrina Owusu-Afriyie, Hendrik Tjibeba, Joshua Amukugo, Salomon April, Christine Liswaniso, Cavin Mwinga, and /Awebahe //Hoebeb. President Hifikepunye Pohamba made the decision after the selection committee consisting of High Court registrar Elsie Schickerling, Eileen Rakow of the Office of the Ombudsman, and attorney Bradley Basson presented him with a short list of eight names in early July.The new commissioners will replace long-serving commissioners Victor Tonchi, Lazarus Shatipamba, Shafimana Ueitele, and Ruusa Shipiki-Kapolo. What remains to be done now, said Ndjarakana, is for the commissioners to convene their first meeting to choose their chairperson. The appointment of the commissioners now also means that they can attend the first meeting of the law reform and development commission to discuss the amendment of the Electoral Act on August 30. Political parties earlier expressed concern that the law reform process would start before the commissioners were elected. The appointments also come as some relief since the ECN have been operating without commissioners for more than a month.
