ECN officials refused entry to Rooikop army base

Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) officials for the supplementary registration of voters at Walvis Bay were on Monday denied entry into the Rooikop army base.

According to the ECN supervisor for the Walvis Bay Rural constituency registration points, Desmond Naweseb, his team was told that no registration would take place at the base and army personnel who wish to register should do so in town.

“Our team left and we decided to utilise the resource at other registration points in town,” said Naweseb.

Erongo regional coordinator for ECN Amos Nguaiko confirmed that his team was at the army base but denied entry. He said the team was told no registration should happen at the army base.

“We asked them whether we can stand outside but they refused. The soldiers are instructed to go and register in town since they are staying there,” said Nguaiko.

He added that or prior arrangements to afford the soldiers an opportunity to register at the army base and avoid long queues in the community.   

“We were at naval and marine bases and didn’t have a problem. We only encountered a problem at Rooikop,” said Nguaiko.

Lieutenant colonel Petrus Shilumbu, head of the public relations division in the defence ministry, explained that ECN applied to use the military base, but the application was not approved.

He said army commander major general Mateus Alueendo gave instructions that no voter registration should take place at any army military base countrywide or near such bases.

“He has authorised his troops to register at other designated registration points far from the military bases, provided that they put on civilian clothes,” said Shilumbu.

He said that most of the soldiers who relocated to the Rooikop army base in the past 12 months have registered as well as those who needed to obtain duplicate voter cards.

First-time voters also registered. Rooikop falls under the Walvis Bay Rural constituency.

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