… Voter registration begins
WINDHOEK- The much anticipated voter registration started off yesterday amid technical hiccups, as the country started the process that will usher in the 2014 national and presidential elections that will see a new president of the republic.
However, this did not deter the spirit of the public that queued for hours patiently waiting for the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to restore the problems and start with the registration process. The ECN, which admitted the technical glitches, had by late yesterday called an urgent meeting of its top brass to see how to resolve the problems.
The registration points of Morning Sun kindergarten, Havana 2 open spot, Laurent Kabila area and Max Mutongolume area, all in Havana informal settlement, were rendered inactive by a power failure and mulfunctioning of photo-taking equipment. Yet people stood in the queue as late as 2’clock in the afternoon waiting for the process to begin. Problems were also experienced in Hochland Park’s Baines Shopping, where the registration point was having problems with power connections to power the equipment.
“We have many registration stations in Havana yet most of them did not start registering people. It is disappointing that there are these problems. People are still in the queues waiting to be registered,” a concerned Fillimon Shigwedha who is a community leader said, adding that many asked to be excused from work just to register but they were disappointed.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Namibia, Professor Lazarus Hangula, was more than disappointed after being turned away three times from the Baines registration point because of technical problems and the fact that he did not have a water bill for January 2013.
Hangula, narrating his ordeal to New Era, was worried that many people would be turned away. “I was told to go back at 14h00 but to my surprise I was told I didn’t have all the documents,” he said.
He was in possession of his identification document (ID), past voter cards and a water bill for September 2013 as well as that for January 2014, yet he was told he could not register simply because he did not have the water bill for January 2013 and that was news that did not settle well with him.
“If I have all other documents to prove that I have been living in Hochland Park since 2013, so why should I be prevented to vote because of a January 2013 water bill?” queried Hangula, who insisted that he had two water bills, that of September 2013 and January 2014.
“I am not only worried for myself but I am worried for those who are unknown, many people may be turned away because of this,” he said.
Some people in the informal settlement were turned away because they presented water cards which they use for communal taps rather than water bills which they do not have, confirmed Shigwedha.
Contacted for comment, the ECN said it was aware of Hangula’s plight as well as the “technical” hiccups at the various registration points in the capital, and promised to issue a statement at a later stage.
Meanwhile, President Hifikepunye Pohamba registered yesterday. Asked on the importance of voting the Head of State said people should register to elect the leaders of their choice during elections.
With regard to those who turned 18 years, Pohamba said they should “be the first in the queue because it is going to be their first time to vote and for them to do that they have to register”.
By Alvine Kapitako