Commissioners meet on ECN mistakes

THE Election Commissioners under Chairman Victor Tonchi will meet today to discuss shortcomings and omissions of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) with regard to preparations for the upcoming by-election in the Tobias Hainyeko constituency.

The four opposition parties competing in the election – CoD, DTA, Republican Party and RDP – accused the Director of Elections, Moses Ndjarakana, of failing to inform them about the dates and venues for the inspection of the voters’ roll and failing to notify them to which magistrate they could lodge complaints about the roll. They also accused him of giving too short notice of the date for supplementary voter registration and not letting them know at what venues registration would take place.In a letter sent to the ECN last week, the four parties, supported by other opposition parties – the UDF, NMDC, Nudo and Swanu – said the notification on Friday 29 August by Ndjarakana that supplementary registration would start Monday, 1 September left no time for preparations and to let their voters know.They further asked the ECN to postpone the by-election because of these organisational mistakes on the side of the ECN.”Ndjarakana admitted to us this morning [Wednesday] that the ECN failed on those four issues, which are our main concerns,” Nico Smit of the RP told The Namibian late yesterday.”We hand-delivered a new letter to Ndjarakana just now, requesting an urgent meeting with the Election Commissioners tomorrow [today] as well,” Smit added.A first meeting with the ECN and the political parties on Tuesday ended prematurely after opposition leaders stormed out, accusing Ndjarakana of “being arrogant and unwilling to listen” to their parties’ concerns.Approached for comment, Ndjarakana told The Namibian that all issues would be discussed with the commissioners.”Pending on the outcome, further steps might be taken.”They also accused him of giving too short notice of the date for supplementary voter registration and not letting them know at what venues registration would take place.In a letter sent to the ECN last week, the four parties, supported by other opposition parties – the UDF, NMDC, Nudo and Swanu – said the notification on Friday 29 August by Ndjarakana that supplementary registration would start Monday, 1 September left no time for preparations and to let their voters know.They further asked the ECN to postpone the by-election because of these organisational mistakes on the side of the ECN.”Ndjarakana admitted to us this morning [Wednesday] that the ECN failed on those four issues, which are our main concerns,” Nico Smit of the RP told The Namibian late yesterday.”We hand-delivered a new letter to Ndjarakana just now, requesting an urgent meeting with the Election Commissioners tomorrow [today] as well,” Smit added.A first meeting with the ECN and the political parties on Tuesday ended prematurely after opposition leaders stormed out, accusing Ndjarakana of “being arrogant and unwilling to listen” to their parties’ concerns.Approached for comment, Ndjarakana told The Namibian that all issues would be discussed with the commissioners.”Pending on the outcome, further steps might be taken.”