Opposition parties want by-election postponed

EIGHT opposition parties contesting the Tobias Hainyeko constituency regional by-election have demanded that the Electoral Commission postpone it, claiming that there were too many flaws and shortcomings in the process so far.

In a letter signed by the eight parties – CoD, DTA, Swanu, UDF, Nudo, APP, RDP and the Republican Party (RP) – and sent to Election Director Moses Ndjarakana yesterday afternoon, they say that the date of the election was not conveyed to the registered political parties in time and no registration points were made known to political parties. Despite a promise made by the ECN that it was going to announce the registration in the area, the opposition parties taking part in the by-election were not supplied with the voters’ roll, nor were they informed where the roll could be inspected, they said.”By law, the ECN is required to inform political parties where and with which magistrate objections can be lodged,” the letter stated.”The Gazette announcing the election date was not made available to political parties, nor were they informed where the polling stations are to be.The recruiting of returning officers is still shrouded in secrecy.”The training of party agents is still outstanding and parties are still in the dark with regard to all aspects of the printing of ballot papers.They were also not informed where the ballots will be counted.”Given the above flaws in the election process, we are of the opinion that the process has been compromised and that no free and fair elections can take place in such conditions.The time is just not sufficient to address and correct these concerns,” the eight parties wrote.No comment could be obtained from the ECN yesterday.The leaders of the eight parties held a press conference yesterday where they vented their frustration about these shortcomings.”Under the previous ECN director, Filemon Kanime, those processes were usually on time and parties were duly informed,” RP President Henk Mudge criticised.”The only way out of this mess is to start the whole by-election process again.”UDF president Justus Garoëb said if the by-election process was messy, the 2009 national election would be much worse.Despite a promise made by the ECN that it was going to announce the registration in the area, the opposition parties taking part in the by-election were not supplied with the voters’ roll, nor were they informed where the roll could be inspected, they said.”By law, the ECN is required to inform political parties where and with which magistrate objections can be lodged,” the letter stated.”The Gazette announcing the election date was not made available to political parties, nor were they informed where the polling stations are to be.The recruiting of returning officers is still shrouded in secrecy.”The training of party agents is still outstanding and parties are still in the dark with regard to all aspects of the printing of ballot papers.They were also not informed where the ballots will be counted.”Given the above flaws in the election process, we are of the opinion that the process has been compromised and that no free and fair elections can take place in such conditions.The time is just not sufficient to address and correct these concerns,” the eight parties wrote.No comment could be obtained from the ECN yesterday.The leaders of the eight parties held a press conference yesterday where they vented their frustration about these shortcomings.”Under the previous ECN director, Filemon Kanime, those processes were usually on time and parties were duly informed,” RP President Henk Mudge criticised.”The only way out of this mess is to start the whole by-election process again.”UDF president Justus Garoëb said if the by-election process was messy, the 2009 national election would be much worse.