ONGWEDIVA – The supplementary registration of voters for the upcoming regional council and local authority elections got off to a slow start in both the Omusati and Oshana regions this week.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) on Monday kicked off with the supplementary registration of voters’ countrywide in preparation for the November elections.
ECN regional coordinator for Oshana Efraim Iyambo said the region had by Tuesday morning registered 1 520 new eligible voters.
Although there was a low turnout on Monday, with only 566 eligible voters registered, there was an increase of 388 more voters registered on Tuesday.
By Tuesday, the region had registered 569 new applicants and 405 voters who had changed their addresses. About 546 were seeking for duplicates.
Iyambo said the region did not record any serious problems that could hinder the progress of the registration.
“We had issues with generators and kits that were not functioning but they were all resolved. So far, the registration is proceeding smoothly,” Iyambo said.
Iyambo said the registration picture was different in the villages because many still reside in the same constituency and are in possession of the 2014 cards, which are still valid for use in the upcoming elections.
Meanwhile, ECN regional coordinator for Omusati Leonard Ndazapo echoed the same sentiments regarding the voters turn out at its 45 registration points in the region on Monday.
Ndazapo said the region did not experience any serious hiccup to delay the registration in exception of a camera that was malfunctioning.
“We had a minor technical issue, where our camera was not working but it was replaced promptly,” Ndazapo said.
Ndazapo said the low turn-out is not much of a concern because there is a possibility that the majority of people registered already did last year.
As is the norm for eligible voters to turn up on the last days, Ndazapo anticipates the same practice in his region. – nashipala@nepc.com.na