Steven Klukowski

A commotion on Friday evening saw different political party members crowd the Keetmanshoop police station, accusing the police and the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) of conniving.

However, the Keetmanshoop Rural constituency by-election will go ahead as planned today, despite the allegations. Landless People’s Movement (LPM) and Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) members were aggrieved that ECN staff members were allegedly conducting election activities and were in possession of ballot boxes in the absence of political party representatives.

ECN chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro has since stated that those were mere rumours. “The election will go on as scheduled. In fact, we have concluded the allocation of materials and equipment to the various polling teams in the presence of all political parties,” he informed New Era.

Mujoro said all teams will overnight at their respective duty stations in order to conduct the polling process this morning from 09h00 until 21h00.

In terms of the uncertainty over a previous difference of opinion between the electoral body and political parties over the issuance of duplicate Voter Registration Cards (VRCs), the ECN administrative head responded that the process could not be carried out by them as originally planned.  “The prevailing circumstances on the ground made it impossible for the commission to execute this aspect of the by-election process,” he said.

“The commission, in addition, did also not retract or cancel the issuance of duplicate VRCs”, Mujoro noted, adding that the ECN was, however, ready and prepared to carry out the election programme.

Participating political parties for the said elections and the ECN could not reach an agreement before on the issuance of the duplicate cards, but during a stakeholders' meeting yesterday afternoon, reached consensus for the process not to be carried out in this instance.  The by-election was necessitated following a vacancy left after the LPM expelled the former councillor for that constituency, Gerrit Witbooi, on 14 February. Meanwhile, LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi emphasised that his party does not
condone ill-discipline from his leaders on the ground.

“If you don’t instil discipline and order as a leader, then you don’t have an effective and efficient political party,” he said while urging Krönlein and Keetmanshoop rural constituency residents to consider all these factors before casting their votes today. Speaking during an LPM rally in Keetmanshoop on Saturday, he accused Swapo of neglecting people in the area for the last 30 years.

An emotional Swartbooi said his tears were flowing when he saw what the Swapo party had done to residents of the //Kharas region. He reiterated that Swapo has neglected residents of Krönlein for the past 30 years. Referring to the allocation of land, the LPM head informed those present that the political movement recently issued residents in Keetmanshoop with certificates to allocate land to them, although the land is not serviced yet.  “This is your land and nobody can take it away from you, not even the municipality,” he told residents. Swartbooi said although central government wanted to block this for reasons that unserviced land should not be allocated, the LPM persisted.  “It is quite disappointing that the same government decided to allocate the minimum of funds to local authorities’ budgets not under their control for capital projects (N$9 000 per annum for the next three financial years for the Keetmanshoop Municipality), and are now demanding we must service this land”, he lamented. He also reminded supporters that it is impossible for the ruling LPM in the region and Keetmanshoop local authority to address challenges coming on for the past 33 years within two years of being in power.  “The LPM is, however, the only political party in Namibia which managed to have motions (illegal lithium mining, municipal debts and educational reforms) approved in the National Assembly within two years,” Swartbooi boasted.

Also campaigning in the area on Saturday, Swapo party vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said their top structure has done its part in nominating Elias !Kharuxab as candidate for the vacant Keetmanshoop rural constituency seat.  She feels it is now up to supporters to ensure !Kharuxab will lead them as new councillor.  “Inasmuch as the Swapo party has a duty to give you the most suitable candidate, which we have done, you now have a duty to vote for such a candidate and ensure victory”.  She observed that !Kharuxab is best-placed to lead this constituency to prosperity, and therefore, the supporters should play their part, do the right thing, and cast their vote for him.

Nandi-Ndaitwah then urged voters to correct the mistake made during the 2020 regional council elections when Swapo lost that seat by voting wisely, namely for the Swapo party candidate.

“The Swapo party candidate is ready to assume his leadership responsibilities, and to work closely with all the people of this constituency by informing them of the existing opportunities in the emerging sectors and develop community empowerment mechanisms,” she emphasised.  - sklukowski@nepc.com.na