RDP roster leak probed

THE Electoral Commission of Namibia yesterday held an urgent meeting to probe how the list of 700 Rally for Democracy and Progress members and sympathisers ended up in the wrong hands.

Elections Director Philemon Kanime told The Namibian yesterday that he was disturbed that the list had been copied illegally and distributed to people who were not entitled to have it. “The allegation is true.I was in the Erongo and Kunene regions when I learnt that the list was being distributed.How it got there, I don’t know,” Kanime said.Kanime said the Electoral Act did not allow him or any other member of the Commission to make copies of names of party members submitted to it.Voters were, however, entitled to visit the ECN and inspect the list of any party.According to Kanime, a Swapo member visited him some time back and requested to inspect the RDP list.”He said they wanted to ensure that none of the people on that list make it to the party’s congress.I gave him a chair and desk.After they checked, he thanked me and left.No copies were made in my presence,” he said.RDP founder Jesaya Nyamu told the media on Tuesday that the document was photocopied at various places, including Government institutions and offices such as the Attorney General and Justice Ministry, the Government Institutions Pension Fund and the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation.Several civil servants whose names appear on the party list submitted to the Electoral Commission of Namibia have been threatened with dismissal if they do not distance themselves from the RDP publicly, Nyamu claimed.Kanime said the ECN commissioners were meeting yesterday to probe the incident.A statement will be issued on their findings.Various branches of the Swapo Youth League have urged Swapo to identify everyone on the RDP’s membership list and to summarily kick them out of the ruling party before the upcoming congress, which starts on November 27, while the Swapo Central Committee will meet on November 25 and 26.”The allegation is true.I was in the Erongo and Kunene regions when I learnt that the list was being distributed.How it got there, I don’t know,” Kanime said.Kanime said the Electoral Act did not allow him or any other member of the Commission to make copies of names of party members submitted to it.Voters were, however, entitled to visit the ECN and inspect the list of any party.According to Kanime, a Swapo member visited him some time back and requested to inspect the RDP list.”He said they wanted to ensure that none of the people on that list make it to the party’s congress.I gave him a chair and desk.After they checked, he thanked me and left.No copies were made in my presence,” he said.RDP founder Jesaya Nyamu told the media on Tuesday that the document was photocopied at various places, including Government institutions and offices such as the Attorney General and Justice Ministry, the Government Institutions Pension Fund and the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation. Several civil servants whose names appear on the party list submitted to the Electoral Commission of Namibia have been threatened with dismissal if they do not distance themselves from the RDP publicly, Nyamu claimed.Kanime said the ECN commissioners were meeting yesterday to probe the incident.A statement will be issued on their findings.Various branches of the Swapo Youth League have urged Swapo to identify everyone on the RDP’s membership list and to summarily kick them out of the ruling party before the upcoming congress, which starts on November 27, while the Swapo Central Committee will meet on November 25 and 26.