Sunrising for democracy

Uakaa Hamibira from the Osona Military Base is one of many Namibians who were not able to exercise their democratic right to vote due to a lack of ballot papers.

“We didn’t get a chance to vote since the ballot papers finished. We were up till 03h00,” she says.

Hamibira yesterday told The Namibian that polling stations also had problems with generators.

“I went there around 09h00 and they said they will help the elders first, so I went back at around 15h00, but the generator was off,” she said.

Hambira added that the military personnel will soon be transported to the Captain Hendrik Witbooi military farm, situated aproximately 30km from Keetmanshoop, adding that they will be out of network for three months until they finish their course.

David Shikesho, a self-employed barber from Goreangab, says he could not afford to take time off to vote during the day.

“A day away from cutting hair affects my money, so I only got to the polling station at 22h00, but I could vote at midnight,” he says.

Shikesho says the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) should create more polling stations to ensure that self-employed Namibians can vote and still return to work.

“I’m tired today because I spend a lot of time in the queue,” he says.

Meriam Tjatindi from 7de Laan says she only voted yesterday morning at the Daan Viljoen roadblock polling station due to ballot shortages.

“The polling station at the Daan Viljoen roadblock was full. I’m so tired; I voted this morning at 04h00,” she says.

Tjatindi, a vendor who sells hotdogs at the Otjomuise shopping complex, says she could not afford to take the day off to rest after spending the night at the polling station.

Anrico van Wyk, presiding officer at the Daan Viljoen roadblock polling station, told The Namibian they experienced challenges with tablets overheating and not charging, which resulted in delays.

“Our tablet was overheating because it’s hot in this tent. We could also not charge it. We had to wait for a second tablet while we did everything manually,” he says.

He says there was no lack of ballot papers at the polling station, adding that they still have 702 ballots papers left out of 1 600.

He says they lent out ballot papers to other polling stations. Van Wyk adds that the ECN should invest in proper equipment and facilities to ensure that the officials are able to meet demands.

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