ECN rules derail voters

Constituency changes, a lack of transport fare, and ECN rules prevented some eligible voters, including students and workers, from casting their ballots in Wednesday’s elections.

Despite numerous voter education campaigns conducted by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), some registered voters were forced to move to another constituency after the supplementary registration period and the issuance of duplicate voter’s cards have lapsed.

Speaking to The Namibian on Wednesday, Dina Gases said she registered in the Katutura East constituency, but due to circumstances beyond her control recently had to move to the John Pandeni area in Soweto.

However, upon arrival at a John Pandeni polling station, she was sent back and told to vote in her registered constituency.

“I did not move by choice, it was a sudden move, and I wanted to vote, but now I cannot do so. The ECN rule is not voter-friendly, because they did not consider these situations.

“We need to move to a point where we can vote in any constituency,” Gases said.

She added that she additionally could not afford the taxi fare to vote in the Katututra East constituency, and had to be at work at 14h00.

Gases was in the company of a family member with a disability, who could not vote either for the same reasons.

Speaking to Desert Radio yesterday, Popular Democratic Movement secretary general Manuel Ngaringombe said Wednesday’s election challenges were due to a lack of planning.

He said some polling stations did not open on time, and experienced a lack of materials, which led to some would-be voters deciding not to vote.

“Our elections should be free and fair. The elections were not supposed to be conducted like this. We shall not accept these results, nor a government forced on people when we know people were not given a chance to vote,” Ngaringombe said.

Outgoing Windhoek councillor Fransina Kahungu this week said incoming candidates must be visible and convince people to vote for them.

She said sending people back due to voting in the wrong constituency is a challenge as some could not go to their registered constituencies due to working in another area.

“The ECN must reform its system and make it possible for all Namibians to vote anywhere in the country, because some people found themselves in different areas,” she said.

Kahungu also supports a proposal for compulsory voting, saying voters must be held accountable – just like those voted into power.

“Imagine the money spent on ballot papers, printing, polling stations and so forth only to have no voter turning up. Voters must be held accountable also and I support that,” she said.

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