KARIBIB – The United Democratic Front of Namibia (UDF) became the first party in Namibia to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) to determine members of the party’s list for parliament.
The internal election took place at the UDF electoral college on Saturday in Karibib.
The EVMs were used with the guidance of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
However, despite using the EVMs the party’s vice-president Dudu Murorua questioned the use of the machines in the elections slated for next month.
Murorua is asking the ECN to replace the EVMs with equipment that have a paper trail.
“Otherwise the elections will be rigged,” claimed Murorua, who said his party is unhappy and that the ECN needs to look into the matter if they want to present a fair and honest election.
The UDF election has its party president, Aphius !Auxab on top of the party list, with Murorua, who also serves as the chairperson of the Kunene Regional Council, second while the party’s secretary general, Hage /Gawaseb, is in third position.
Three women members made it to the top 10 positions during the heated electoral college that concluded around 22h00.
Khorixas Constituency Councillor Sebastian Ignatian is fourth on the list, followed by Dorka Victoria Shikongo, the women’s league secretary general.
Tina Ernstine Harases is in seventh and Lena Hoeses is in eighth position while the UDF Member of Parliament, Hendrick Gaobaeb, is at number nine.
Chairperson of the ECN, Notemba Tjipueja, had earlier dismissed concern that the use of EVMs without a paper trail will pave the way for corruption and vote-rigging.
According to Tjipueja, there is no need for parties to worry about manipulation of the new Indian-manufactured voting machines. She said the machines are standalone and accurate and will give immediate results.
The EVMs are not computers but operate like a calculator. They do not have any software that can be manipulated by anybody or by a process of the internet.
The ECN says EVMs will reduce the vote-counting period, because the results can be obtained immediately at the closure of the polling stations.
The tabulator holds the results, which is likened to the paper trail parties are demanding.
An EVM can only however be opened before court, if political parties institute claims that the election results were compromised.