Swapo declines to comment on ballot paper tender storm

The ruling party has distanced itself from the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) decision to award a ballot tender to the controversial South African company, Ren-Form.

Swapo leadership has declined to comment on the objections by opposition parties, with deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga on Friday telling The Namibian the party does not want to be accused of influencing the ECN’s decisions.

“The ECN is an independent body. We have decided as Swapo not to meddle in the affairs of the ECN because at the end of the day, we will be accused of influencing this and that …, therefore, we have no comment.

“We want to distance ourselves. All we want to do is win, and win overwhelmingly,” Herunga said.

However, Herunga questioned why the tender was awarded to a South African company.

“Why should it be a South African company? What credibility do we have if they are marred with allegations of corruption?”

The ECN’s endorsement of Ren-Form comes after senior Swapo member Utoni Nujoma was pictured in Zimbabwe with president Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Herunga, however, asserted that he does not know why Nujoma went to Zimbabwe.

“I’m not aware of any mission assigned by the party. He might have gone in his own private capacity,”
he noted.

Herunga also dispelled any wrong perceptions about the meeting Sophia Shaningwa had with Zanu-PF earlier this year.

“The reason why we didn’t call a press conference is because there is nothing we felt should be shared with members of the public,” he added.