Several opposition parties have called on the Electoral Court to rule in favour of a re-election and nullify the results of the 2024 National Assembly elections.
At a joint press conference in Windhoek yesterday, political parties expressed their support for the election challenge brought by the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and the Landless People’s Movement (LPM).
Henk Mudge, president of the Republican Party, said the election was not credible and any outcome other than a re-election will have negative implications for the country’s democratic future.
“The election was severely damaged with the rigging that was so obvious. We cannot afford a court ruling on technical points or other matters that deny us a re-election. If that happens, then we are lost,” Mudge said.
Mudge said an impartial judiciary is critical not only for domestic governance but also for attracting foreign investment.
He warned that investor confidence could be undermined if Namibia’s judicial system is not seen as free and fair.
“Big investors always evaluate the independence of a country’s judicial system before committing their resources. If our courts are not deemed independent, they will not invest in Namibia,” he said.
Mudge also noted public scepticism regarding the judiciary’s impartiality, citing claims that certain judges may have political affiliations or biases.
“I honestly hope that we will get a judgement that is going to be in favour of us, because we know that the elections were rigged, we know that.”
Popular Democratic Movement secretary general Manuel Ngaringombe said the election challenge directly affects the party.
“The outcome of this case affects us directly and that is why we stand in solidarity with the IPC and LPM,” he said.
Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEEF) leader Epafras Mukwiilongo said his party supports the case because it is evident that the elections were fraudulent.
“If the court rules that elections were fraudulent, the logical thing to do would be to have a re-election, because anything else would actually be aiding and abetting not only an unlawful but unconstitutional process,” Mukwiilongo said.
He said NEEF is a party that is constantly defending the Namibian Constitution against those who desire to violate it.
Mike Kavekotora, the leader of the Rally for Democracy and Progress, says the unified stance of opposition parties was taken in the spirit of democracy.
“Our decision to stand behind each other was made when we realised that these elections were rigged, when we realised that the aspirations and the wishes of the Namibian people have not been met, when we realised that there were a number of influences, including foreign influences, in the electoral process of Namibia.”
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