ECN denounce alleged electoral fraud at Outapi

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has denied alleged electoral fraud in the vacant Outapi constituency post.

The post was left vacant after Immanuel Shikongo was appointed as the Omusati region governor earlier this month by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

The ECN response comes after Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda last week claimed that Swapo and the ECN are having behind the scenes meetings strategising to violate the law following the occurrence of a vacancy in the Outapi constituency, further implying ‘corruption or electoral fraud’.

“Such false claims are not only devoid of any truth but also represent a deliberate attempt to sow confusion and distrust towards the commission,” says ECN spokesperson De Wet Siluka in a statement issued on 19 July.

Siluka says in strict adherence to legal requirements, notice of this vacancy was duly given and gazetted in the Government Gazette No. 8692 on 18 July.
Additionally, Section 10(3) of the Regional Councils Act explicitly states that a casual vacancy in a regional council ‘shall be filled within three months’ after it occurs through an election, on a date to be determined by the president through proclamation in the gazette.

This means that the vacancy in Outapi Regional Council must be filled by the end of September.

Following the vacancy, Siluka says the commission immediately invoked its preparatory processes for the conduct of a by-election in the Outapi constituency, including the compilation of a statutory election schedule.

This comprehensive planning requires due legal consideration at all stages, Siluka adds.

“As part of our unwavering commitment to transparency and adherence to the rule of law, the commission convened a political parties liaison committee meeting on 14 July at the Election House.

“The purpose of this meeting was specifically to share the draft election schedule and discuss the potential legal, logistical and administrative challenges and the implications involved in conducting a by-election so close to the general regional councils and local authorities elections on 26 November,” he says.

This consultative step, he says, underscores the ECN’s commitment to strict compliance and sound governance.

A collective agreement was taken during the meeting that the ECN would further analyse and weigh all presented options and subsequently inform the political parties on the way forward.

This, in its view, is an exercise of due diligence and not a secret strategy to violate the law, says Siluka.

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