A number of seafarers in the Oshana region were unable to cast their votes due to a number of challenges with their employers yesterday.
According to the election officials at the special voting polling stations, who preferr to remain anonymous due to fear of victimisation, some of the seafarers’ names did not appear on the voting list that was provided to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
“The issue of the seagoing personnel is very complicated. Some companies have not sent their employees’ names to the ECN indicating that they will be on duty on 27 November. It is hard to allow them to vote, because they do not have anything indicating that indeed they will be on duty like other companies. We want proof because anyone can just walk in and say they will be on duty.
“Most of the seagoing personnel are on holiday, and it’s really complicated for them,” an election official said yesterday.
She added that the ECN is busy engaging with the affected seagoing personnel companies.
ECN Oshana regional electoral officer Amon-Oiva Haimbangu confirmed the seafarers’ issue, saying there was nothing the ECN could do to solve the matter.
The presiding officer at Oluno community hall at Ondangwa, Immanuel Kalla, told The Namibian yesterday that the voting process was going well and they had only experienced minor challenges.
“We started off very well, however, we could not start the process on time because we had issues with the voter’s verification device machine. The atmosphere is exciting because the people are really eager to vote,” he said.
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