How administrators got away with the unprecedented incompetence that led to the nationwide chaos of last year’s general elections is unfathomable.
Cleaning up the incompetence at the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) should have been the priority of members of the newly formed National Assembly as soon as they were sworn in after 21 March this year.
Incomprehensibly, their priorities were seemingly elsewhere.
Even when the ECN bungled by-elections, the opposition parties that had squealed long and hard about the chaos failed to table a parliamentary motion to take election commissioners and their bureaucrats to task.
It is vital that those charged with being stewards of our democracy are held accountable.
In this week’s elections, voters must hope that the rules restricting the casting of ballots in constituencies where people are registered will minimise the chaos that has probably discouraged many from queuing to choose their leaders.
Conversely, those who appreciate the importance of democracy will have convinced voters that municipal and regional elections are potentially the most important – it’s the closest the people can get to holding leaders accountable daily, unlike national leaders elected on a party controlled list.
The Namibian urges voters to take this week’s elections to heart despite their shortcomings.
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