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Swapo takes early lead at Otjiwarongo

2015-11-25  Staff Report 2

Swapo takes early lead at Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo Preliminary election results released by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) for the special voting day on Monday shows that Swapo scooped both Otjozondjupa Regional Council (RC) and local authority (LA) polls, with the exception of two constituencies, where Nudo received the highest number of votes. The two constituencies where Swapo lost to Nudo in both the regional council and local authority elections are Omatako and Okakarara. ECN regional coordinator for Otjozondjupa Faith Matladi yesterday released the preliminary results, following Monday’s provisional special voting day for polling officials, election agents and police officers, who will not get an opportunity to cast their votes on Friday. In the regional council elections at Grootfontein, Nelao Delemine Amagulu of Swapo was ahead of the pack, winning 36 out of 52 votes cast, followed by Sophia Basson for DTA with 13, while Paulus Bernardt of the All People’s Party (APP) got a measly three votes. In the Grootfontein local authority election there were 47 votes cast, of which Swapo won 37, followed by DTA with seven and APP three, while RDP and RP did not get any votes. In the race for Otjiwarongo RC, Swapo’s Julius Nauyoma Negumbo won with 42 out the 64 votes cast, followed by Nudo’s Chris Katjivive, who got 14, while Esmerelda Esme !Aebes of the DTA received eight. Meanwhile, in the contest for Otjiwarongo LA, Swapo leads with 38 out of the 59 votes cast, followed by Nudo with 10. The DTA got eight and UDF received only two votes. The Association of Otjiwarongo Residents got nothing, while APP got one and RDP zero. At Okakarara, a Nudo stronghold, there were 44 votes cast in the contest for the RC. Incumbent Nudo Councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu showed signs of retaining the position he has occupied since 2010 by leading the tally with 27 votes, while Swapo’s Jonathan Tjakuva lagged behind with 12 votes, followed by DTA’s Abdal Mutjavikua with five. Swanu’s Mujazu Urika got zero. Meanwhile, in the LA election at Okakarara Nudo took the lead with 23 votes out of the total 43 votes cast, followed by Swapo with 13 and DTA four. Surprisingly, the WRP got three votes and Swanu none. Omatako RC is another Nudo stronghold, where they received four out of the five votes cast, while Swapo got only one vote. In the race for Otavi RC, there were 16 votes cast, with Swapo’s Laina Mekundi winning all 16 votes. Candidates for the DTA (Helga Tjipe, Fred Grundeling) and APP (Bella Hunibes) got nothing. Also in the contest for Otavi LA, Swapo won all 14 votes cast, leaving APP, DTA and RDP with nothing. In the contest for Okahandja RC, Swapo’s incumbent councillor Steve Biko Booys looks to retain his position after winning 28 of the 34 votes cast, while DTA got six, leaving independent candidate, Welfriedt Goaseb with nothing. At Okahandja, Swapo won 24 out of the 32 votes cast in the LA elections, followed by UDF with three and Nudo two. The RDP and the Okahandja Rate Payers Association (ORPA)  got one vote each, leaving the UPM and WRP with nothing. For Tsumkwe RC and LA, Swapo and DTA registered for the elections, but there was no vote cast, as no one turned up on the special polling day. Matladi said there were no hiccups experienced and everything went smoothly. She also noted there are 942 polling officials, of which 178 are presiding officers and 12 returning officials, who form part of 178 teams, of which 126 are assigned to the RC election and 52 to the municipal election. She urged voters to arrive as early as 07h00 on Friday when polling stations open, to avoid last minute crises when polls close 12 hours later at 19h00. Matladi also urged voters to avoid coming to the polling stations under the influence of alcohol, as experienced in some parts of the country during the presidential and national elections last year. She encouraged political parties to adhere to the code of conduct, which clearly stipulates that no political activities must take place within a 500-metre radius of polling stations. “We are ready for Friday. Today (Tuesday) we are going to collect vehicles from Otjiwarongo government garage. We will also head to Otavi to collect the election materials, including the electronic voting machines (EVMs),” she said. She indicated that they are deploying officials to four constituencies, namely Okakarara, Omatako, Okahandja and Tsumkwe today. The rest of the teams will be deployed to Otjiwarongo, Otavi and Grootfontein on Thursday.
2015-11-25  Staff Report 2

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