UDF nullifies Khorixas primary election

UNITED Democratic Front president Apius !Auchab has nullified the party’s Khorixas constituency regional councillor primary election, after party members at Twyfelfontein did not vote on ballot papers.

!Auchab nullified the results after it had been announced by UDF secretary general Hage Gawaseb.

“We will restart from the beginning in July. We will let you know,” !Auchab said. “When elections will be held we must close the holes which were there.”

He also said the nullification was not caused by any candidates.

!Auchab later told the primary election results were nullified because UDF members at Twyfelfontein did not vote on ballot papers.

The party prepared ballot papers for the primary election – held to select the party’s candidate in the Khorixas constituency regional councillor election later this year – but when ballot papers with faces of candidates were printed Twyfelfontein members did not vote on them.

!Auchab also warned his party’s faithful not to be divided by internal elections.

UDF members voted at Khorixas and also at Fransfontein, Ani#Chab, Braunfels and Twyfelfontein for its regional councillor candidate.

Four candidates were on the ballot in the primary election. Dorcas Shikongo – a teacher by profession – was the only woman among the four. Also on the ballot were Charlton Richter, a former teacher and currently control administrative officer at the Khorixas constituency office, Nicodemus #Gaeseb, who is a former chief executive officer of the Khorixas Town Council, and former Khorixas constituency regional councillor Sebastian !Gobs, who in the 2015 election lost to Swapo candidate Elias Xoagub.

Richter and !Gobs were in the lead before the primary was nullified.