2014-11-10Staff Report 2 ENDOLA – Swapo candidate Ferdinand Shifidi emerged victorious during the Endola Constituency by-election on Friday. Shifidi’s landslide victory came over Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) candidate Pius Hafeni and Venda Denis Kahungu of Congress of Democracy (CoD) . The by-election in Endola Constituency of Ohangwena Region was necessitated by the death of that constituency’s previous councillor Ruth Nhinda who died in August. Shifidi emerged victorious with 6 633 votes which represented 90.47 percent of the total votes cast. Hafeni only garnered 631 votes and Kahangu of CoD received a measly 68 of the votes which represent 8.61 percent and 0.93 percent respectively. A total of 7 332 votes were cast. Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) Director of Elections Professor Paul Isaak said the by-election was held in a peaceful environment, which allowed the ECN officials to carry out their jobs effectively. He praised the community of Endola for turning up in big numbers maintaining the turn-up was beyond expectations. “I’m happy with the turnout. Because the general election is close, one would think that a few people would have turned up as many would probably prefer to wait for the general election, but the people here came in a big number,” stated Isaak. The Endola by-election was the second by-election to be held in Ohangwena Region. In August a by-election was held in Ohangwena Constituency following the death of that constituency’s councillor Maria Kombwana. Johannes Hakanyome of Swapo trounced RDP candidate Vilho Shomwooshili in that by-election. 2014-11-10Staff Report 2
