Higher voter turnout at Tsumeb by-election

VOTERS in the Tsumeb constituency, where ballots were being cast in a by-election to choose a new Regional Councillor yesterday, appeared set to register an improved turnout at the polls in comparison with the last regional poll at the northern town.

Candidates from four parties are contesting the by-election in the constituency, where Swapo has scored comfortable victories in each national, regional and local authority election since Independence. By late yesterday afternoon, with about three hours left until the end of voting at 21h00, the returning officer in the by-election, Kaembo Kasiringua, reported that queues at five fixed polling points and one mobile point were lengthening after the end of most people’s working day.He said that could have been a sign that voter turnout in the by-election would be substantially higher than at the last regional election.Kasiringua said he estimated that at that stage – after some eleven hours of voting – between 3 500 and 4 000 of the constituency’s about 9 500 voters had cast their ballots.He added that people who were still lining up at polling booths by 21h00 would be allowed to vote, until all the queues had been cleared.Voting had been slow at times during the day, he indicated.Kasiringua said he was confident that a poll percentage of between 50 and 60 per cent of the constituency’s voters taking part in the by-election would be realised.Ballots will be counted today, and the result of the by-election should be known by this afternoon.In the last regional election in the Tsumeb constituency, in 1998, only 27 per cent of registered voters went to the ballot boxes to exercise their choice.This time Swapo is fielding primary school teacher Lebbius Tangeni Tobias as its candidate in the by-election.The CoD’s candidate is Rainhold Hoaeb, a community activist; the DTA is not contesting; UDF nominated Tsumeb resident Victoria Ochorus as its candidate; Nudo is represented by Robert Neidel.By late yesterday afternoon, with about three hours left until the end of voting at 21h00, the returning officer in the by-election, Kaembo Kasiringua, reported that queues at five fixed polling points and one mobile point were lengthening after the end of most people’s working day.He said that could have been a sign that voter turnout in the by-election would be substantially higher than at the last regional election.Kasiringua said he estimated that at that stage – after some eleven hours of voting – between 3 500 and 4 000 of the constituency’s about 9 500 voters had cast their ballots.He added that people who were still lining up at polling booths by 21h00 would be allowed to vote, until all the queues had been cleared.Voting had been slow at times during the day, he indicated.Kasiringua said he was confident that a poll percentage of between 50 and 60 per cent of the constituency’s voters taking part in the by-election would be realised.Ballots will be counted today, and the result of the by-election should be known by this afternoon.In the last regional election in the Tsumeb constituency, in 1998, only 27 per cent of registered voters went to the ballot boxes to exercise their choice.This time Swapo is fielding primary school teacher Lebbius Tangeni Tobias as its candidate in the by-election.The CoD’s candidate is Rainhold Hoaeb, a community activist; the DTA is not contesting; UDF nominated Tsumeb resident Victoria Ochorus as its candidate; Nudo is represented by Robert Neidel.