Africa-Press – Namibia. THE Secretary-General for the Swapo Party, Sophia Shaningwa, has expressed disappointment in the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) in the aftermath of an order by the Windhoek High Court to recount the Ndonga Linena Constituency votes in the Kavango East Region following the ruling party’s victory last year.
During a press briefing in the Capital this morning, Shaningwa said that the Swapo Party will not take part in a recount and that it is rather advisable that new elections be called altogether in the Ndonga Linena Constituency in order to restore the credibility of the elections.
“The Political Bureau at its ordinary meeting, held on 16 September 2021 in Windhoek, noticed with concern the agenda-based, unwarranted, systematic and choreographed attempts by the ECN to throw the name of the Swapo Party into disrepute,” said Shaningwa.
Shaningwa added that the Political Bureau has also noticed the public announcement, allegedly by the outgoing Commissioner and former Chairperson of the ECN, who went on recorded stating that “we wrongly declared Swapo as Ndonga Linena winner.”
She said that such public sentiments are not only reckless, but are farfetched and have compromised the ECN as a truly professional body that is delivering professionally driven election results to the Namibian people.
“Such a reckless statement is trying to portray a negative image around the matters concerning the elections in Namibia,” Shaningwa said.
The Regional Council Elections took place in November 2020 with four political parties contesting, namely the APP, IPC, PDM and Swapo.
Each political party was represented by a Party Agent, and after the polls closed, counting was reportedly done in front of the Party Agents.
At the time, the Swap Party Candidate, Kampota Michael Shiwana, was declared the duly elected Constituency Councillor by ECN.
Barely 10 months after the elections, however, the same ECN receded its own decision following the High Court Ruling, Shaningwa added.
The Secretary-General noted that the order by the High Court for access to the spoiled ballot boxes was done without the knowledge or collaboration of the Swapo Party, which violates Section 66. Subsection (1) A – of the Electoral Act No.5 of 2014.
“There is serious and material proof that there are irregularities committed here. While the High Court had ordered accessibilities to the election materials, the High Court has in no way ordered the breaking of the law. We do not know what transpired there, since our Party Agents were not present when the stored ballot boxes were unsealed,” Shaningwa said.
She added that as such, the Swapo Party will not take part in the recount process as the credibility of the Ndonga Linena Regional Council Election appears to be compromised.
“The words of the outgoing Chairperson have already prejudiced the Swapo Party. The Swapo Party will therefore only participate if real credible processes aimed at rectifying the wrongs done in Ndonga Linena are undertaken, such as a full re-run of the election process. If ECN could not invite the Swapo Party when they accessed officially sealed materials as stipulated in the law, why should it be important now for Swapo Party to participate in activities where provisions of the law have been broken and not adhered to, as stipulated in the electoral law? “ Shaningwa said.
