Claims of unfairness at some Swakop polling stations

Voters at Swakopmund’s central area faced a mix of smooth operations and rising tensions on Wednesday.

While hundreds of people were still queuing in the afternoon, presiding officer Tracy Kaereho reported no technical issues or complaints from voters inside.

However, party agents raised allegations of unfair treatment, claiming that some voters were allowed to re-enter the queue after bathroom breaks, while others were not.

However, these claims were denied by the presiding officer.

Another concern raised was a lack of personnel outside the station to direct voters, leaving many confused about the wait times.

Across the road at the NG Church polling station, presiding officer Christine Emmanuel described the process as glitch free.

However, voters expressed frustration over a dual-queue system, with a separate line initially set up for elderly voters reportedly being used by younger individuals. This caused anger among those in the longer queue who had been waiting since the morning.

“We’ve been here for hours, and people from the other queue are getting in much faster. It’s unfair,” one voter said.

Both stations faced additional complaints about a lack of basic amenities, including water and ablution facilities.

Meanwhile, at the NG Church station, a woman reportedly suffered heatstroke and had to be assisted to a vehicle.