By dispatching voter registration material and equipment to all 14 regions and Namibian diplomatic missions abroad, the Electoral Commission of Namibia has signalled a crucial phase on the election calendar.

Last week, the commission dispatched the all-important material needed for the mass voter registration process, in which all eligible voters must participate for them to vote on November 27.

Due to the nature and sensitivity of the elections and everything around them, the materials dispatched via the NamPost courier service were escorted by the Namibian Police Force.

All eligible Namibian citizens, aged 18 and above, are required to register afresh in the constituencies where they reside.

The ECN has established 567 registration teams that will be deployed locally. Thirty-five teams will serve on diplomatic missions.

During this crucial period, the registration points will be open at 08h00 to 19h00 from Monday to Saturday, throughout the country and at all Namibian diplomatic missions. We can all appeal to the consciences of every eligible voter to do the right thing and register to vote.

The political theatre has not been short of activity in recent times, as each political party and aspiring independent candidates are criss-crossing the country, spreading their gospel, in an attempt to convince Namibian voters why they are the right candidate or organisation to take the country to the proverbial Promised Land.

Last week, little-known Jeremia Kuhepa Kaambo presented himself to Namibia as an independent presidential candidate.

He became the fourth Namibian after land activist Job Amupanda, businesswoman Ally Angula, and veteran social justice activist Rosa Namises to reveal to the public her plans to vie for the presidency solo.

A quick desktop search reveals that the little-known Kaambo has been a staunch restorative justice activist, particularly in the fight for just reparations, an apology, and atonement for the genocide that imperial Germany unleashed on the Oveherero and Nama communities more than a century ago.

The political calendar is even busier for traditional political parties. Over the weekend, the only ruling party Namibia has ever seen since political independence from the repugnant apartheid South African regime, Swapo, celebrated 64 years of existence, 34 of which were spent in governance.

What is apparent from the Swapo gospel at various rallies and their new ‘meet and greet’ sessions is that the party wants to reclaim its glory days, or two-thirds majority it lost in 2019.

Swapo has also had its fair share of controversies, with secretary general Sofia Shaningwa’s recent trip to China coming under the microscope. Shaningwa dismissed any claims that the trip was meant to source funds to finance their campaign. She also poured cold water over claims that she was accompanied by ECN boss Petrus Shaama to concoct a plan that would put Swapo in pole position even before the elections date.

The ECN also came out swinging, dismissing any suggestion linking it to Swapo or any other political formation.

The credibility of an electoral commission is everything.

To their credit, the commission proactively reacted to the allegations instead of taking a wait-and-see approach.

In so doing, ECN took the nation into their confidence.

Without mincing her words, ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua said: “The commission refutes these allegations in the strongest terms. They are completely false and unfounded. The Electoral Commission of Namibia operates independently, and our primary focus is to ensure that we conduct and manage electoral and referenda processes for Namibian citizens in a free, fair, transparent, and credible manner, with a singular view to upholding electoral democracy in compliance with relevant provisions of the Namibian Constitution, read together with the fact that, what is more, the integrity of the electoral process is of utmost importance to the commission.”

Nghikembua could not have said this better: “We therefore urge the public to refrain from spreading false and malicious information that has the potential to cast aspersions over the integrity of the electoral processes and the upcoming national and presidential elections. Let us continue to uphold the values of sound democracy in Namibia.”

If anything, the ECN is the last institution to be weaponised for electioneering purposes.

It is our responsibility to guard the commission jealously, as opposed to driving frivolous, selfish narratives for political expediency.

Swapo lawmaker and deputy works minister Veikko Nekundi also courted controversy this week when he was quoted as saying he wants to see the ‘political graves’ of PDM leader McHenry Venaani and Independent Patriots for Change leader Panduleni Itula.

While a blurred line exists between political rhetoric and reality, we encourage politicians to present tangible plans and solutions to the bread-and-butter issues confronting Namibians daily, as opposed to politicking that resolves nothing.

Politicians, especially those canvassing for votes, must always rise above petty issues in their conduct.

Campaigns must be a battle of ideas, not egos and personalities.

Like late president Hage Geingob would say: “Play the ball and not the man. If you play the ball, two competing teams can hug and move on. But if you play the man, there is no unity after the game.”

The National Unity Democratic Organisation is imploding from inside, if the words of its outgoing secretary general (SG) Joseph Kauandenge, are anything to go by.

According to him, the party is on the verge of sinking if it does not rid itself of a “cancer,” tearing it asunder.

The cancer he was figuratively referring to is the Ovaherero Traditional Authority and its two factions.

Kauandenge became the second top Nudo leader to pull out of the intra-party presidential contest after party leader Utjiua Muinjangue.

Those left standing are party vice president and Aminuis constituency councillor Peter Kazongominja, erstwhile Okakarara constituency councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu, deputy Windhoek mayor Joseph Uapingene, and former Namibia Football Association SG Barry Rukoro.

At the watershed in Indaba between 12 and 13 July, over 500 Nudo loyalists will meet under one roof to decide the party’s fate for the next five years.

Next month, Venaani and his PDM army will elect a new leadership. At that congress, Venaani has vowed to step down to make way for any candidate who hits the 40% threshold.

A month ago, Venaani’s only known competition for the PDM presidency, Vipuakuje Muharukua, quit both the party and Parliament.

The orange army, Landless People’s Movement, under charismatic leader and chief change campaigner Bernadus Swartbooi, is also positioning itself once again as a political force to be reckoned with. Swartbooi has been on the road preaching their gospel.

In the house, however, the dust refuses to settle. According to reports, LPM’s top two leaders, Swartbooi and his erstwhile right-hand man Henny Seibeb, are reportedly not on speaking terms, nor do they see eye-to-eye, a dangerous situation for a young movement going into its second national elections.

Meanwhile, the United Democratic Front, under the stewardship of newly-elected president Hendrik Gaobaeb, has signalled to Namibians that politics is not about positions. It is a side that Namibian politics has not seen in a long time. 

Despite internal pressure to recall UDF stalwarts from the National Assembly, Dudu Murorua and Apius Auchab, whom he defeated at their congress earlier this year, Gaobaeb has refused to budge.

He believes it is in the party’s best interest for the two seasoned politicians to see through their National Assembly terms.

His focus is on strengthening the party’s structures and finances as they prepare for November’s big day.

Register to vote.