Africa-Press – Namibia. Zambezi Police regional commander, commissioner Andreas Shilelo has called for calm and tolerance among political parties and their supporters, as the political campaign season intensifies ahead of the upcoming regional and local authority elections.
In an interview with New Era yesterday, Shilelo stressed the importance of maintaining peace in the region during the political campaigns leading to the election period.
Namibia is expected to go to the polls for the 2025 Regional Councils and Local Authorities Elections, scheduled for 26 November.
Commissioner Shilelo confirmed that the Zambezi region has so far recorded only one incident of political violence, which recently went viral on social media. The altercation involved supporters of the Swapo party and those aligned with an independent candidate for the Linyanti Constituency.
According to Shilelo, the clash erupted when a group of Swapo supporters, traveling in a truck to host a meeting in Linyanti, were confronted by a woman who questioned their presence on her premises. “The woman was reportedly attacked and assaulted after asking who had given them permission to use the premises,” he said.
A case of assault has since been opened at the Sangwali Police Station, and investigations are underway. “I have instructed that those involved in the assault be arrested,” Shilelo stated, adding that video clips circulating on social media will assist police in identifying the suspects.
Shilelo noted that law enforcement remains on high alert and is actively monitoring the political atmosphere in the region. “We have dispatched a team of officers to engage community elders in Linyanti to help calm tensions and promote peaceful co-existence,” he said.
He also revealed that training sessions for police officers participating in election duties are being prepared to ensure they are well-equipped to handle election-related matters professionally. “We will invite the media to these sessions, and we will also engage political leaders to emphasise the need for peaceful campaigns,” he added.
Addressing both political candidates and their supporters, Shilelo urged everyone to exercise restraint and respect during campaigns.
“Politics is like a game; it’s like playing cards. People should enjoy the process and not fight,” he said. “Let’s all remember that our rights to participate in politics are protected under the Namibian Constitution. We don’t want anyone spending their Christmas or New Year in custody because of political violence,” he added.
Shilelo further said the police will act swiftly to prevent any further incidents of political intolerance. “We are closely monitoring the situation. Peace and stability in the Zambezi region are our priority, and we will ensure that anyone who engages in violence faces the law,” he said.
Shilelo described the Linyanti incident as “unfortunate” but reiterated his commitment to maintaining order as election activities continue. “We want all campaigns to be conducted peacefully, without intimidation or violence. Let’s protect our democracy by respecting one another,” he said.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has announced that the distribution of election materials commenced from 17 November, while the training of polling officials will take place between 07 and 15 November. Meanwhile the deployment of polling teams will start from 23 to 25 November.
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 countrywide.
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