LPM application to ECN 'not stalled'

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has shrugged off a suggestion that an application by the Landless People's Movement (LPM) for registration as a political party is stalled.

An allegation doing the rounds in the ranks of the LPM is that the process to gazette the registration at the ministry of justice is being deliberately impeded for political expediency.

The chief electoral officer of the ECN, Theo Mujoro, says there are various processes to be completed before the commission can give the go-ahead for the gazette office in the justice ministry to publish the registration of a political party.

He says when the ECN receives an application for the registration of a political party, its data centre has to check each and every name of the more than 3 500 names for their declaration, voter registration numbers and regions and constituencies in which they are registered.

This information is then provided to the commission to ensure the application complies with all the legal requirements.

Mujoro says depending on the commission's decision, the more than 3 500 names and voter registration numbers would then be typed before being handed over to the directorate of legislative drafting in the justice ministry for perusal and certification.

“[When] finalised, the information is provided to the Government Gazette office. They require a two-week period to prepare the notice for publication,” Mujoro said. The LPM applied for registration as political party on 9 September.

The ECN says the time it takes to finalise the process includes the corrections or alterations that have to be made.

It says it had to send the LPM's application documents back twice for corrections.

So far, no other applications for the registration of new political parties have been submitted the ECN.

STAFF REPORTER