WINDHOEK- The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) says the supplementary voter registration process currently underway across the country is going slow.
The ECN has attributed this to the successful registration of voters during the general registration of voters held earlier this year.
The electoral body successfully conducted the third general voters registration exercise on March 2 this year, with over one million people registering both inside the country and abroad.
Since the supplementary voter registration kicked off last week, the ECN has to date registered 50 230 voters in all 14 regions.
“We cannot expect a high number of turnout of registration. Most Namibian registered during the period of the GRV. Also take note that we registered 118 voters at our various diplomatic missions. The majority, about 49, have been registered in South Africa. Again, the reason is that during the GRV most of them registered,” Professor Paul John Isaak, Director of Elections told New Era in an interview yesterday.
According to the voters’ statistics as forwarded to the ECN by yesterday, Khomas registered 9 060 voters, followed by the Ohangwena with 6 151 while Omusati took the third place with a record of 4 999.
Meanwhile Oshana Region registered 4 618 voters pursued by Oshikoto with 3 848 and then Erongo with 3 728, chased by Otjozondjupa that recorded 3 716 voters.
Thereafter Kavango East recorded 3 398 while Kunene Region registered 2 079 voters followed by Hardap with 1 829 registered voters and then !Karas with 1827 registered voters. Kavango West registered a number of 1 817 voters followed by the Zambezi Region with 1 628 and Omaheke with a turn up of 1 532 people.
The supplementary registration ends on Saturday. The GRV took place from January 15 until March 2 this year.
In terms of the provision of section 49 (2) of the Electoral Act, 1992 (Act
No.24 of 1992) as amended, the ECN is mandated to hold elections be they national, regional or local authority or by-elections and to ensure good governance and the consolidation of democracy in Namibia.
The ECN has requested N$374 million to carry out its mandate during the 2014/15 financial year in preparation and the conduct of the National and Presidential elections slated for November.
When asked on the challenges facing the ECN during the supplementary registration, Isaak said this time around they have addressed most of the challenges encountered during the GRV and therefore the challenges are minimal during the current registration.
The only prevailing issue, he singled out is to secure sufficient number of vehicles from the government.
“But we are very glad for the tremendous support from the public and they were eager to provide their private vehicles at a minimal cost,” he applauded.