DPN accuses ECN of dishonesty

THE Democratic Party of Namibia (DPN) has accused the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) of being dishonest to the Namibian nation by awarding the tender for the printing of ballots for next month’s elections to Namprint, a company owned by Swapo.

Addressing party members at Mariental on Saturday, DPN Secretary General Adam Isaak claimed the ECN had ‘overlooked the nation’s interest at the expense of a single political party’ when it had allocated the printing tender.This, he said, had dashed hopes of a free and fair election, claiming that it opened the door for possible election rigging.Isaak appealed to the international community to immediately intervene.Isaak said opposition parties are expected to gather today to discuss the printing tender, adding that the outcome of the meeting might have a ‘critical impact’ on the upcoming elections.Also speaking at the meeting, DPN executive member Daniel Schmidt claimed that the Swapo-led Government’s land distribution and resettlement policy is ‘meaningless’. He promised that the DPN would redefine the current land distribution and resettlement policy to the benefit of all people if voted into power. In his message, DPN President Salmon Isaack said Government’s Vision 2030 dream will never realised.Isaack accused the Swapo-led Government of discriminating against minorities by denying them representation on national level.The party’s manifesto and list of 72 candidates for the parliamentary election were not revealed at the meeting as expected.luqman@namibian.com.na