Africa-Press – Namibia. The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is on track with its preparations for the 2025 Regional Councils and Local Authorities Elections, scheduled for 26 November.
Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer, Peter Shaama, confirmed that ECN has made steady progress in executing its electoral calendar, with the arrival of ballot papers on Monday.
During a press briefing, he said that the ECN received a total of more than 1.8 million ballot papers for the regional council elections and 920 400 for the local authority elections.
South African company Uniprint Global printed the ballots at a total cost of N$4.9 million.
The Johannesburg-based company was awarded the contract following an open international bidding process in which four international companies submitted bids.
He said the design and initial printing of the ballot papers began on 21 and 22 October 2025, followed by verification and sign-off by political parties, organisations, and independent candidates.
Twenty-one political parties, 23 organisations and associations, as well as 68 independent candidates, verified and signed off the sample ballot papers, Shaama said.
The commission also ensured transparency by inviting political parties and independent candidates to observe the printing and packaging process in Johannesburg.
However, only the ruling Swapo Party and the main opposition party, Independent Patriots for Change, were able to send observers. Shaama said ECN was unable to fund political parties’ representatives like it did during the national elections last year.
“This was merely informed by the budgetary constraints that the commission is facing. You recall very well that last year we did not have any by-election, but this year, we had six by-elections, and that is a record in our history,” he explained.
Key upcoming activities include the distribution of election materials from Tuesday to 17 November, the training of polling officials between 07 and 15 November, and the deployment of polling teams from 23 to 25 November.
“We remain resolute in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections, and we call upon all electoral stakeholders to play their part in fostering a democratic process,” Shaama said.
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