ECN pays heavily for botched polls

OGONE TLHAGEWINDHOEKThe Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) will have to pay political parties and an independent candidate that contested in the disputed Mariental Rural constituency N$50 000 each.Similarly, candidates that stood for the Stampriet, Koës and Aroab local authority elections will also be paid a handsome N$25 000 each, the court ruled on Friday.The ECN had brought an application in the Windhoek High Court to have the ballots cast in the elections held on 25 November at Koës, Aroab and Stampriet local authorities and the Mariental Rural constituency declared null and void.Last week's ruling will result in the ECN paying out N$50 000 each to Swapo, the Landless People's Movement, the Popular Democratic Movement, the Independent Patriots for Change, the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters and an independent candidate who stood in the Mariental Rural constituency. This results in a collective bill of N$300 000 to be paid.For the Stampriet, Koës and Aroab local authorities, the ECN will pay a collective N$175 000.“The ECN must for the purposes of ensuring that all political parties, associations or individuals who participated in the taking of the poll on 25 November 2020, again participate in the retake of the poll, pay to that political party, association or individual an amount of N$50 000 in respect of the election for the member of the Hardap regional council and N$25 000 in respect for a local authority council,” High Court judges Obren Sibeya, Herman Oosthuizen and Shafimana Ueitele ruled on Friday. IrregularitiesThis follows voting irregularities uncovered in the regional council and local authority elections.According to the founding affidavit of chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro, several irregularities occurred at three polling points in the Mariental Rural constituency, namely Glencoin, Kalahari Proefplaas and the Stampriet police station.He said one of the irregularities was that the polling station at Glencoin closed four hours before it was supposed to.He further pointed out that incorrect ballot papers were used to conduct the elections at Koës and Stampriet.“These glaring errors and omissions subjugated the voters of those particular areas of their rights to exercise their right to choose a candidate of their choice. This is contrary to the tenor and spirit of their guaranteed constitutional rights to exercise their political rights,” Mujoro stated.

ECN pays heavily for botched polls

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Namibian Sun 2026-08-04

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ECN pays heavily for botched polls

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Namibian Sun 2026-08-04

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