LPM wants to join IPC as co-applicant in election case

The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) is requesting the Electoral Court to allow it to join the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) as a co-applicant in its legal challenge against the 2024 National Assembly election results.

While the LPM agrees with the IPC’s argument that the election was unlawful, it is also seeking to highlight additional issues, including alleged abuses of power by president Nangolo Mbumba and the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) after the election period was extended.

“The conduct of the ECN and the president places in jeopardy not only the lawful convening and election of the new National Assembly, but it also places its political and democratic legitimacy in serious doubt,” LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi says in a sworn statement signed on Friday.

Swartbooi says the LPM seeks to join the IPC case as a co-applicant to pursue its own remedies, regardless of the court’s decision on the IPC application.

“That is why, to the extent possible, the LPM application is being run and set down to be heard together with the IPC application. They engage the same subject matter,” Swartbooi says.

The LPM is asking the court to set aside the proclamation in which Mbumba extended voting in the National Assembly and presidential elections by two days, and to declare that the National Assembly election on the two extra days of voting was unlawful and invalid.

Alternatively, the party is asking the court to declare the entire National Assembly election – on 27 November and the two extra voting days of 29 and 30 November – as unlawful and invalid.

If the National Assembly election on the extra voting days is declared unlawful and invalid, the LPM is asking the court to declare that votes cast on 27 November only should determine the result of the National Assembly election.

Swapo won 51 of the 96 elected seats in the National Assembly in the election. The IPC won 20 seats and the LPM secured five seats.

The LPM is represented by the law firm Dr Weder, Kauta
& Hoveka.