ECN seeks condonation of disputed results

OGONE TLHAGE



WINDHOEK

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has requested political parties to temporarily accept the results of elections held at Mariental Rural, Koes, Aroab and Stampriet.

In his appeal to the affected parties, chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro also said a re-run would be held at a yet-to-be determined date. He, however, added that the affected areas should not be without elected councillors as it would create a leadership vacuum.

Mujoro had earlier this week said results could not be completed for the Koes, Aroab and Stampriet local authorities as well as the Mariental Rural constituency due to serious procedural errors that were discovered.

“Regional and local councillors must occupy their offices and subscribe to an oath before assumption of office to avoid a potential lacuna in the administrative and leadership structure with the absence of substantive councillors in the respective regional councils and local authorities,” Mujoro said in an affidavit.

“These irregularities have accentuated that possibility in the respective local and regional authority areas and constituencies and must be remedied as soon as is reasonably practical,” he added.

Legal advice sought

Upon the discovery of the irregularities, the office of the Attorney-General was immediately approached to provide legal advice on the matter, he said.

“I am advised that the only available remedy would be to hold the voting processes in the affected local authority and constituency void ab initio so that the applicant can rectify the elections in conformity with Article 17 of the Constitution,” Mujoro said.

He added that it would not be necessary to have a supplementary registration or nomination process as candidates and party lists for each of the participating political parties had already been gazetted, while the voters for the respective areas had been registered.