The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has been advised to reform its current electoral systems due to logistical issues, such as running out of ballot papers in last year’s elections.
This was the feedback from Southern African Development Community (SADC) election observers in a report tabled in the parliament last week.
“The current system where the country is considered as one constituency during the presidential and National Assembly elections, allowing voters to vote anywhere, irrespective of where they are registered, created logistical and administrative challenges such as the shortage of ballot papers at some polling stations,” the report reads.
The commission should also review the electoral law to introduce polling station-based voting, which would reduce the logistical challenges the commission experienced, the report says.
This, it says, would enhance the ability of the ECN to predict the possible turnout at each polling station and thus provide adequate sensitive and non-sensitive polling materials for each polling station.
The report further addresses the enactment of a data protection law to guide the ECN’s policy framework on cybersecurity, access to information, and data protection.
The ECN is advised to consider enacting legislation on when results should be announced, and to undertake comprehensive electoral reforms to address gaps in campaign finance regulation, transparency and accountability.
The observers further advise the ECN to review and revise operational processes such as voter registration and polling to address challenges identified, such as shortages of voting materials and malfunctioning equipment.
This is in line with the Electoral Act of 2014, which mandates the ECN to ensure smooth and credible electoral operations.
The establishment of an agency responsible for the registration and compliance of political parties and organisations are among the recommendations.
This is to allow the commission to focus on its mandate and ensure it does not become a referee and player at the same time.
The report says that during the 2024/25 financial year, the ECN was allocated about N$637.9 million for its operational budget.
The total expenditure for the 2024/25 financial year was over N$634 million, representing an execution rate of 99.4%.
Of this amount, over N$72 million was for personnel expenditure and N$565.8 million for non-personnel expenditure.
Day-to-day operational expenditure amounted to N$107.6 million, while election operations expenditure throughout all three phases of the electoral cycle amounted to N$458.2 million.
Funds allocated to personnel expenditure were mainly disbursed to the payment of salaries and other allowances for ECN staff members, while funds allocated for non-personnel expenditure were primarily spent.
