By: Lina Amutenya
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has successfully completed the printing of the final ballot papers for the Swakopmund constituency by-elections scheduled for 12 August 2022.
The commission said that the printing of final ballot papers was done on 02 August 2022, followed by the packing process on 3 August 2022.
Solitaire Press Namibia won the printing bid.
The vote counting body has also confirmed the successful completion of the verification of the sample ballot papers by authorised representatives of political parties and candidates.
Campaigns on the voter education for residents on the importance of casting their votes, among other electoral matters, started on 18 July 2022 and are set to be concluded on 11 August 2022.
ECN’s Acting Chief Electoral and Referenda officer, Petrus Shaama, in the meantime, said, “all the sensitive materials for the by-election will be dispatched on 7 August 2022 under strict security and escort of the Namibian police”.
He said the material will be placed under protection and custody at the Swakopmund police station.
ECN corporate communications and marketing officer Lina Ndengu also said that a total of 145 polling officials had been recruited with 29 teams for the conduct of the by-elections.
The training of the polling officials also commenced on 04 August and will roll on until Friday 05 August.
At the same time, polling officials’ training will be conducted between 6 to 10 August.
Ndengu added that voters are required to come along with their voter cards used to identify a registered voter.
“If voters have lost or damaged their voter’s cards, the voter can apply for a duplicate voter’s card. In order for a voter to receive a duplicate voter’s card, a registered voter must bring the following documents; a sworn declaration from the police, a Namibia identification document and a valid green Namibia passport. The ECN extended the time for the supplementary registration. Polling stations will be closing at 21h00 to create room for the voters who might be knocking off after 19h00,” she said.
Ndengu stated that rules remain the same, whereby the elderly are to be helped first and the rest following behind.
An array of political parties is jostling for control of the coastal town, with the previous weekend having been a hive of activity with parties displaying their colours in convoys.
