Calls for Otjiwarongo ballot recount
Five opposition parties at Otjiwarongo have submitted a letter to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), demanding for a recount of votes cast in the regional council and local authority elections for the constituency last week.
The political parties objecting to the outcome of the elections are Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), Landless People’s Movement (LPM), National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) and the United Democratic Front ( UDF), who all participated in both the regional and local authority elections.
In their joint letter, addressed to ECN and seen by Nampa yesterday, the five aggrieved parties charged that the 2020 regional council and local authority elections for the Otjiwarongo constituency were not free and fair “due to some corrupt activities observed”.
The letter refers to the two police officers, who on 24 November 2020 had signed off receipt of the ECN ballot boxes and stamps for polling station 301. These officers allegedly took the materials to their rooms at the police barracks, where they spent the night, which is contrary to the ECN laws that require such materials should overnight at an officially identified ECN polling centre.
The letter further states that some eligible voters in the constituency were allegedly turned away at some polling centres, accusing them of already having voted elsewhere; “yet, in actual fact, these voters did not cast any vote on 25 November 2020”.
The opposition parties also claim that during the counting of votes on the night of 25 November, some polling centres in the constituency did not have electricity, yet the counting continued, and poor lighting devices were used.
“Therefore, we are kindly requesting for a recount of the votes and a proper verification and certification of these election results for the constituency,” states the letter.
ECN Otjozondjupa regional coordinator Urbans Karumendu told this news agency on Monday that he is aware of the letter issued by the five political parties to his office on Sunday.
“We are aware of their concerns, and their letter was forwarded to the ECN headquarters in the capital,” he said.
A total of 7 460 votes were counted in the Otjiwarongo regional constituency – while in the local authority, it was 5 955 votes.
Incumbent constituency councillor under Swapo Marlyn Mbakera won the constituency
elections with 4 173 votes, while the IPC,LPMandPDMeachwonaseat on the Otjiwarongo municipality, where Swapo obtained four seats. - Nampa