ECN to increase daily rate for polling officials after strike threats

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has announced that it will pay polling officials N$476 after training officials threatened to strike during the election.

Some polling trainees in the Kavango East and West regions, who began their training on 15 November, demanded their training allowance be increased from N$150 to N$300 over the weekend.

However, ECN spokesperson De Wet Siluka yesterday told The Namibian that the allowance of N$150 for training officials will remain the same.

He said the increase of polling officials’ daily rate will only be effective today and tomorrow, after the training officials have passed their tests and are deployed as polling officers.

“We decided to make revision to the daily and polling rates already in May after we did a review,” he said.

Siluka said the daily rate for polling officials will increase from N$436 to N$476 after the officials are assessed on their training
The polling rate, which is only applicable on 27 November, will increase from N$670 to N$710.

“The polling rate is (for) 27 November; before and after 27 November they are getting the daily rate if they are still deployed after the elections,” he said.

Siluka said the daily rate for presiding officers has been increased from N$670 to N$710, and the polling rate from N$784 to N$824.

Siluka said polling officials agreed to the terms that were indicated in the call for polling officials.

“While the commission understands the financial pressures expressed by these officials, it is important to note that the disputed allowance subject of the reported grievance was clearly stated in the advertised call for applications,” he said.

However, Kavango East region spokesperson Peter Kamwi on Friday alleged that officials were not aware of the amount to be paid.

“Polling officials at Rundu in the Kavango East region and polling officials at Nkurenkuru, in the Kavango West region, are aggressive [sic]to reject the upcoming elections on November 27 unless their demands are met,” he said.

Kamwi also alleged that polling officials are unable to file complaints despite experiencing unfair and abusive treatment and discrimination from the Rundu Urban returning officer.

“We are not free to talk or to ask questions because we are afraid to be chased out of the training session,” Kamwi stated.

He said the ECN compensates them for working on Sundays as per the Labour Act, which states that payment should then be double.

Kavango West spokesperson Stefanus Kudumo says the current rate of N$150, which has remained unchanged for years, is insufficient to cover the cost of three meals and accommodation for each day.

“We, the trainees, have found ourselves these last nine days in financially challenging situations despite being aware of the daily rate before accepting the job,” he says.