WINDHOEK – Absence of sufficient transport, unfamiliar technical equipment as well as lack of confidence among the novice voter registration officials were some of the reasons for the “technical hiccups” recorded in the first two days of voter registration. However, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) says the issues are being addressed and the process would start moving efficiently by the weekend.
“[Today, Friday] we would improve and by Saturday we should have reached our maximum operating capacity in terms of efficiency and coordinating transportation efforts with regard to personnel and materials,” the ECN Director of Operations, Theo Mujoro, told New Era yesterday afternoon, just an hour before the closing time for all voter registration points in the country.
The much anticipated voter registration started off on Wednesday but with some technical hiccups – with machines not functioning properly and unable to process registration for part of the day. However, the public turned out en masse as the country started the process that will usher in the 2014 national and presidential elections that will see a new Head of State for the republic.
Mujoro said one of the reasons for the technical hiccups was because for the first time ECN officials operated the electronic voter registration equipment in a practical environment and there was hence a lack of confidence among some officials. He was nevertheless confident that ECN officials, especially the kit operators, would be familiar with their responsibilities as the days progress.
Most registration stations in Windhoek did not open on time on the first day because of vehicle shortages.
Mujoro said teams were sharing vehicles and that led to subsequent delays in the opening times of some registration stations. “On Wednesday we had a couple of challenges but [on Thursday] 98 percent of our registration stations opened on time,” said Mujoro.
Mujoro further acknowledged that many people do not have municipal bills such as water, electricity or telephone accounts, but such people can be registered through sworn statements. This means that residents who do not have municipal bills can be accompanied by a person who has already registered to help them register.
New Era yesterday took to the informal settlements in Windhoek where most loyal voters reside to observe the general mood and those who spoke to the newspaper stressed the importance of voting. “I want my vote to count because it is only through voting that a country can be democratic. I have been waiting here since 7am and so far (around 14h00) they have helped about 15 people. It is very slow,” said Gabriel Ndimufitu who was registering at the Hakahana clinic registration point.
Olivia Mbango said: “I am registering to vote for my own good. I am voting for the government to bring us development.
“Development is already here because the government is paying my children’s school fees. In the past our parents could not afford to pay our school fees, that’s why we didn’t make it very far in life but the government is paying for my children’s school fees now and they are helping me that way.”
A Wanaheda resident said he would vote to maintain the democratic process of the country. “Namibia is founded on a multiparty democratic system and it is our responsibility as citizens to register and vote to maintain democratic values as enshrined in our constitution.
“We Namibians must celebrate voting as citizens. For too long we were denied this by our colonial oppressors,” the man who spoke anonymously said.
By Alvine Kapitako