ECN fails the law, unable to hold Otjinene by-election

THE Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has failed to hold a by-election in the Otjinene Regional Constituency within the 90-day period prescribed by the Regional Councils Act of 1992.

The law requires the ECN to hold a by-election within 90 days after a vacancy has been declared in a Regional Council constituency. The 90-day limit for holding the Otjinene Regional Constituency by-election expired on Saturday.The Minister of Regional Local Government and Housing, Joel Kaapanda, declared a vacancy in that constituency on February 29, after the former Regional Councillor, Billy Katjatenya, resigned from the DTA to join the rival National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo).The by-election was set to take place on May 14, but the voting process had to be abandoned mid-way after the ECN ran out of ballot papers.The ECN is currently awaiting instructions from the Office of the Attorney-General on the next step in this controversial by-election process.Phillemon Kanime, the head of the electoral body, told Nampa that the ECN was aware that it had missed the 90-day deadline, but said “there is very little” the ECN can do to speed up the process.”The matter is in the hands of the Attorney-General now.There are legal implications and I can only give you proper information after the lawyers come back to us,” said Kanime.Some of the political parties that participated in the May 14 election have called for fresh elections in the said constituency.Residents of the Epukiro and Otjinene communal areas voted as one in the Otjinene Constituency Regional Councils by-election, despite Epukiro having been demarcated as a separate constituency in 2002.The voters’ register used was prepared in 1998 and this contributed to the shortage in ballot papers.The political parties that took part in the election were the Congress of Democrats (CoD), Swapo, DTA and Nudo.- NampaThe 90-day limit for holding the Otjinene Regional Constituency by-election expired on Saturday.The Minister of Regional Local Government and Housing, Joel Kaapanda, declared a vacancy in that constituency on February 29, after the former Regional Councillor, Billy Katjatenya, resigned from the DTA to join the rival National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo).The by-election was set to take place on May 14, but the voting process had to be abandoned mid-way after the ECN ran out of ballot papers.The ECN is currently awaiting instructions from the Office of the Attorney-General on the next step in this controversial by-election process.Phillemon Kanime, the head of the electoral body, told Nampa that the ECN was aware that it had missed the 90-day deadline, but said “there is very little” the ECN can do to speed up the process.”The matter is in the hands of the Attorney-General now.There are legal implications and I can only give you proper information after the lawyers come back to us,” said Kanime.Some of the political parties that participated in the May 14 election have called for fresh elections in the said constituency.Residents of the Epukiro and Otjinene communal areas voted as one in the Otjinene Constituency Regional Councils by-election, despite Epukiro having been demarcated as a separate constituency in 2002.The voters’ register used was prepared in 1998 and this contributed to the shortage in ballot papers.The political parties that took part in the election were the Congress of Democrats (CoD), Swapo, DTA and Nudo.- Nampa