The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has confirmed that representatives of 18 political parties have flown to South Africa to observe how ballots to be used in the national elections in November will be designed, printed, packaged and distributed.
The Popular Democratic Movement has withdrawn from the trip following an announcement by party leader McHenry Venaani that a public demonstration about the ECN’s choice of a company to supply ballots will be held on Tuesday this week.
The party is protesting against the awarding to the ballot tender to the company Ren-Form, which is at the centre of tender inflation allegations in Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections.
The delegation of political party representatives visiting South Africa is expected to return to Namibia on 29 October, the ECN says.
The parties sending representatives to South Africa are the Action Democratic Movement, Affirmative Repositioning, All People’s Party, Body of Christ, Congress of Democrats, Independent Patriots for Change, Landless People’s Movement, Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters, National Democratic Party of Namibia, National Empowerment Fighting Corruption, National Patriotic Front of Namibia, National Unity Democratic Organisation,
Rally for Democracy and Progress, Swanu, Swapo, United Democratic Front, United Namibians Party and United People’s Movement.
The Christian Democratic Voice Party and the Republican Party could could not make the trip “due to unforeseen circumstances”.
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