The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) plans to hire over 5 000 private vehicles and equipment to support logistics for the upcoming regional council and local authority elections.
The hiring of 5 173 private vehicles is contained in the commission’s expression of interest notice issued last month.
Interested vehicle owners were given time to make their vehicles available for inspection and roadworthy testing from 27 to 31 October across the country.
This was done in accordance with the Public Procurement Act, read with the electoral operations policy.
According to the expression list of vehicles needed by the ECN, the commission requires over 5 000 in 14 regions, with the Ohangwena region needing the most at 716, followed by the Omusati region with 689 and the Oshikoto region with 520 vehicles.
The Zambezi region needs about 326 vehicles, but was reported to be short of 73 vehicles on Wednesday.
“The vehicles must not be older than 10 years, must be a single or double-cab 2×4 or 4×4 with a canopy, and must be roadworthy. Tyres should not be older than five years,” the notice reads.
The commission further says vehicles should not have any stickers, slogans or colours bearing messages of political parties, or religious or business institutions.
The ECN further requires 174 vehicles in the Hardap region, 276 in the Khomas region, 277 in the Omaheke region, 326 in the Otjozondjupa region, 327 in the Kavango West region, 329 in the Kavango East, 230 in Erongo, 330 in Oshana, 239 in ||Kharas, and 351 in the Kunene region.
The ECN used 1 306 vehicles from private owners across the country for the supplementary registration of voters held from 4 to 19 August.
All owners of the selected vehicles who meet the prescribed inspection and testing requirements will enter into a contract with the commission.
Vehicle owners are also required to provide insurance as proof. In the absence of that, they must sign an indemnity form allowing the use of the vehicle for the election exercise.
During the 2024 presidential and National Assembly elections, vehicles used in urban areas were paid N$1 350, in semi-urban to rural areas N$1 550, and vehicles used in hard-to-reach areas were paid N$2 050.
Other equipment needed are 5 740 steel and folding plastic tables, 13 285 chairs, 1 563 generators, and 1 026 tents.
