ECN denies blocking offenders from registering to vote

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has refuted allegations made by an opposition party that it did not allow offenders the opportunity to register as voters.

ECN chief electoral and referenda officer Peter Shaama in a media statement yesterday said the allegations are devoid of any truth and are therefore misleading.

“The commission consulted with the correctional facilities management and resolved to establish registration points at correctional facilities including police holding cells countrywide,” said Shaama.

The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) on Monday accused the commission of excluding convicted Namibians from registering to participate in the upcoming national elections.

“This unfair and intentional exclusion of inmates is robbing these Namibians of their democratic right, further dehumanising and excluding them from society,” LPM said in a media statement.

LPM said every eligible voter should have an opportunity to participate in their democratic right.

Last week, some offenders anonymously told The Namibian that they felt excluded from the registration process.

Shaama said most of the correctional facilities and police holding cells have already been covered, while some are still to be visited as per the registration schedule.

“The commission, through its continuous monitoring and assessment efforts, established an additional 20 teams during the fourth week of voter registration to cover an additional 120 places that were not adequately covered or where the dates initially allocated were not adequate,” he said.

Shaama said all Namibians who are eligible to register as voters are accorded the opportunity, as part of the ECNs targeted interventions.

“Some of the registration points which were revisited through these interventions are correctional facilities” he said.

Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) deputy commissioner John Kambimbi told The Namibian yesterday that there are registration points at the facilities.

“This is not a new trend, ECN always has registration points at the facilities where even the officers register,” he said.

Kambimbi said the NCS has 4 946 inmates in correctional facilities, including those awaiting trials.

On Monday, the commission announced that 1 153 916 eligible Namibians are now registered to vote.

This figure represents 71% of the eligible voter population registered between 3 June and 20 July inside the country and at all Namibian diplomatic missions abroad.