Nine parties register for November polls

NINE political parties will contest the general elections scheduled for November 15 and 16, while only seven of them will field candidates to stand for Namibia’s presidency.

The Congress of Democrats, DTA of Namibia, Monitor Action Group, Namibia Movement for Democratic Change, National Unity Democratic Organisation, Republican Party, Swanu, Swapo and the UDF all met the 11h00 deadline on Friday according to election officials. All parties and candidates taking part in the elections will sign a code of conduct.Newcomers in the race are the Namibia Movement for Democratic Change, National Unity Democratic Organisation and the Republican Party.Nudo and RP were part of the DTA in the last Presidential and National Assembly elections but left the alliance to contest on their own.Apart from the newcomers, the ruling Swapo party will contest the elections with a new presidential candidate in Hifikepunye Pohamba since 1989.In the 1999 presidential ballot President Sam Nujoma collected 414 096 votes – some 77 per cent of the total poll.CoD president Ben Ulenga came in second with 56 541 votes or 11 per cent of the vote.Just behind him was the DTA’s Katuutire Kaura with 52 752 ballots in his favour or 10 per cent of the total.In the National Assembly election Swapo received nearly 6 000 less votes than Nujoma – eventually reaching a total of 408 174 – a whopping 76 per cent of the total.With Nujoma out of the frame, it will be interesting to see how the ruling party will perform in the November elections.The Congress of Democrats received a backing of 53 289 voters – 10 per cent of the electorate – in 1999 but enough to gain them the status of official opposition which was later grabbed from them after the DTA and the UDF teamed-up for a coalition.The DTA, which managed to attract only half of its 1994 support level, claimed 50 824 votes or nine per cent of the total.Both the CoD and the DTA have seven seats in the new National Assembly.In the last National Assembly elections UDF defied predictions of its imminent demise by increasing its vote share to 15 635 – enough to give it two seats while Kosie Pretorius’ MAG secured one seat, despite only gaining 3 618 votes.Swanu only mustered 1 885 votes in 1999 but hopes to cash in on the split between the DTA, RP and Nudo.All parties and candidates taking part in the elections will sign a code of conduct.Newcomers in the race are the Namibia Movement for Democratic Change, National Unity Democratic Organisation and the Republican Party.Nudo and RP were part of the DTA in the last Presidential and National Assembly elections but left the alliance to contest on their own.Apart from the newcomers, the ruling Swapo party will contest the elections with a new presidential candidate in Hifikepunye Pohamba since 1989.In the 1999 presidential ballot President Sam Nujoma collected 414 096 votes – some 77 per cent of the total poll.CoD president Ben Ulenga came in second with 56 541 votes or 11 per cent of the vote.Just behind him was the DTA’s Katuutire Kaura with 52 752 ballots in his favour or 10 per cent of the total.In the National Assembly election Swapo received nearly 6 000 less votes than Nujoma – eventually reaching a total of 408 174 – a whopping 76 per cent of the total.With Nujoma out of the frame, it will be interesting to see how the ruling party will perform in the November elections.The Congress of Democrats received a backing of 53 289 voters – 10 per cent of the electorate – in 1999 but enough to gain them the status of official opposition which was later grabbed from them after the DTA and the UDF teamed-up for a coalition.The DTA, which managed to attract only half of its 1994 support level, claimed 50 824 votes or nine per cent of the total.Both the CoD and the DTA have seven seats in the new National Assembly.In the last National Assembly elections UDF defied predictions of its imminent demise by increasing its vote share to 15 635 – enough to give it two seats while Kosie Pretorius’ MAG secured one seat, despite only gaining 3 618 votes.Swanu only mustered 1 885 votes in 1999 but hopes to cash in on the split between the DTA, RP and Nudo.