LPM confident of winning poll rerun
Leader of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Bernadus Swartbooi said his party will get a clean victory in the election rerun at Koës, Aroab and Stampriet local authorities as well as Mariental Rural constituency.
He said this in an interview with Nampa, while reacting to the announcement of the election rerun preparations scheduled for 26 February 2021.
This week, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced that the preparation for the election re-run in the said areas are at an advanced stage, which include the training of election officials, party agents and police officers scheduled to take place from 20 to 24 February 2021.
ECN said 21 polling stations will be used, with nine fixed and 12 will be mobile stations.
The recruitment of polling officials has been finalised while training of election officials, party agents and police officers will take place from 20 to 24 February 2021.
Five political parties and one independent candidate are contesting the election which are LPM, Independent Patriots for Change, Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters, Popular Democratic Movement and Swapo, while the independent candidate is Desmond David Tjipanga contesting in the Mariental constituency.
However, Swartbooi said even if the party is comfortable that it will win all the local authorities and Mariental Rural, the candidates and party supporters are not quiet.
“We have been campaigning and educating residents in those areas that LPM is the only party that is genuinely willing to address inequality and restore people’s dignity,” he said.
He added that the party is facing challenges in areas it won in last year’s November local authority and regional councils elections, where electricity debts are high, but they have to deal with it and have spoken to NamPower not to cut off electricity supplies.
“We urge the electorate in those areas to go out and vote for LPM to ensure that the future is completely transformed,” said Swartbooi.
The elections are being rerun due to irregularities experienced in last year’s elections, which forced ECN to declare results from the said areas null and void.