Lahja Nashuuta
As Namibia prepares for Regional Councils and Local Authority elections later this year, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) needs N$648 million to pull off the exercise.
Motivating the ECN budget in Parliament, National Assembly Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila announced that N$70 million of the proposed budget will go toward personnel expenses, while N$578.5 million is designated for election administration and managing the electoral process.
The ECN is mandated to conduct elections and facilitate voter participation.
In accordance with the Regional Councils Act, the Commission must conduct by-elections within three months of a vacancy arising.
The ECN has two programmes under its budget, namely elections’ administration as well as voter and civic education. These are the cornerstones of the electoral operations. The two programmes are complemented by the programme policy co-ordination and support services, which provides for administrative and policy support to the electoral operations.
“As a standard practice, the ECN makes contingency provisions for at least three by-elections annually in case of unexpected vacancies in regional councils,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stated.
In compliance with the legal provisions, the ECN already commenced with preparations to conduct these by-elections.
Training of registration officials and the Supplementary Registration of Voters (SRV) was conducted in all five constituencies on 5-8 and 10-12 April 2025, respectively, in accordance with the electoral schedule. Currently, there are five vacant constituencies: Grootfontein, Otjiwarongo, Kamanjab, Sesfontein, and Kabbe South, following the resignation of councillors who took up seats in the National Assembly.
“Holding five by-elections in a year, which includes regional and local authority elections, places significant pressure on the ECN’s resources,” she said.
In preparation for the 2025 elections, the ECN plans to conduct nationwide voter education campaigns and a Supplementary Registration of Voters (SRV) across all regions, constituencies and local authorities.
“To ensure maximum reach during SRV, the Commission will deploy additional registration teams,” she noted.
This will require the procurement of extra mobile voter registration kits and accessories.
Furthermore, the ECN intends to recruit, train and deploy approximately 17 000 election officials, including voter education teams, to support both the registration and polling phases.
To strengthen logistical capabilities, the budget also provides for the procurement of 36 additional vehicles.
For voter and civic education, the ECN has requested N$25.6 million. This programme aims to enhance public awareness and engagement in the electoral process, with materials to be made accessible in Braille, audio formats and sign language to ensure inclusivity for persons with disabilities.
The Speaker noted that N$59 million has been proposed for policy coordination, supervision and support services.
This allocation will cover property rentals, utilities, fleet maintenance, licence renewals, board operations, electoral reporting and membership fees to regional and international electoral bodies.
Weighing in on the Commission’s proposed budget, political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said the proposed budget could be adequate if managed efficiently and effectively.
However, considering the scale and significance of the upcoming elections, he emphasised the importance of planning for unforeseen expenses, such as security, logistics, potential technology failures and health emergencies.
“It is essential that the ECN sets aside contingency funds,” he noted.
Reflecting on the previous years’ experience, Kamwanyah added: “The ECN should improve voter education, strengthen logistical coordination and ensure more comprehensive training for electoral staff.
Transparency and clear communication are also crucial to building public trust and resolving disputes effectively”.
Photo: Heather Erdmann