RUNDU – Out of 26 candidates from different political parties who were duly nominated as candidates in Kavango East region for the upcoming regional council elections in November, there is only one female candidate.
According to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), the incumbent Rundu Urban councillor Victoria Kauma is the only woman contesting in regional council elections.
“Twenty-six were duly nominated in Kavango East region for elections as members of the regional council in the upcoming regional elections,” said ECN coordinator for Kavango East Patrick Haingura.
“In Mukwe there was a female candidate who tried but lost at the primaries. In Rundu Rural, a woman also tried to partake but she withdrew before the extra-ordinary conference. And in Ndiyona, there was one woman who tried to contest but lost out during the elections at the conference. In other constituencies, there were no female candidates contesting,” said Otilie Shinduvi, the Swapo party coordinator for Kavango East.
“As a party, next time around, we want to ensure that we get a woman organised. Maybe, they lack support or maybe they fear leadership, but we will work on that as a part.”
Six political parties have fielded candidates for elections, including the All Peoples Party (APP), Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), the Republican Party (RP) and the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP).
Two independent candidates are also running for office.
Swapo and the APP have both fielded candidates in all the six constituencies in the northern region.
The IPC and PDM have fielded candidates in five constituencies: Mukwe, Ndonga Linena, Mashare, Rundu Rural and Rundu Urban; while the RP will only contest in Ndiyona constituency and RDP in the Mukwe constituency.
Two independent candidates have registered to contest in Rundu Urban and Rundu Rural constituency.