Swapo ‘nervous’ about LPM
The LPM’s registration as a political party hit a snag after Swapo parliamentarian Veikko Nekundi objected to the list of names attached to the application.
OGONE TLHAGE
Political commentator Ndumba Kamwanyah says he is taken aback by Swapo parliamentarian and deputy public enterprises minister Veikko Nekundi’s opposition to the Landless People’s Movement’s registration as a political party.
“It is strange to see Nekundi launch a public objection to the registration, making him, and by extension Swapo, look like they are afraid that the new party will do electoral damage to Swapo.
“Perhaps, the reality that the LPM membership seems to be drawn from Swapo is what's making some people in the party nervous,” Kamwanyah said.
The LPM said yesterday it was undeterred by efforts to have its official registration as a political party stopped, and is determined to see out the process, even if it means that it will take it longer to register.
LPM spokesperson Utaara Mootu said her party was willing to work in close collaboration with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to ensure that its registration would not be a problem.
“We intend to work more closely with the ECN. We will meet up after 14 days with the ECN to discuss our party’s registration, where we will determine what the way forward is,” Mootu said.
“We are waiting for the ECN, even if it will take us six months to register, we will continue with our activities of mobilising support.”
According to her, the LPM welcomes the objections and sees them as sign of the growth of democracy.
“We are not objecting to anything,” Mootu said.
She added that if there were problems with names the LPM had added to a list it submitted to the ECN last year, it was happy to drum up support from other members of the public.
The LPM’s registration hit a snag when Nekundi alleged there were problems with the names added to LPM’s list of supporters. Among them was allegedly someone who died in May 2018. According to Nekundi, who has officially objected to the ECN, he has a death certificate to prove this.
Nekundi added that the name of the deceased person was altered on the list, and that wants the LPM to comply with the law.
ECN chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro was quoted as saying that he would look into the claims.
He added that when they received the LPM's submission, they checked if the names listed were of genuinely registered voters.
Mujoro said they would also scrutinise the objections they received on Saturday and ascertain all the facts before they inform the public if there are any duplications, and if yes, how many.
He also said a dead person's name could have included on the list.
“Someone could have died after signing. It can't be helped,” Mujoro added.
Political commentator Ndumba Kamwanyah says he is taken aback by Swapo parliamentarian and deputy public enterprises minister Veikko Nekundi’s opposition to the Landless People’s Movement’s registration as a political party.
“It is strange to see Nekundi launch a public objection to the registration, making him, and by extension Swapo, look like they are afraid that the new party will do electoral damage to Swapo.
“Perhaps, the reality that the LPM membership seems to be drawn from Swapo is what's making some people in the party nervous,” Kamwanyah said.
The LPM said yesterday it was undeterred by efforts to have its official registration as a political party stopped, and is determined to see out the process, even if it means that it will take it longer to register.
LPM spokesperson Utaara Mootu said her party was willing to work in close collaboration with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to ensure that its registration would not be a problem.
“We intend to work more closely with the ECN. We will meet up after 14 days with the ECN to discuss our party’s registration, where we will determine what the way forward is,” Mootu said.
“We are waiting for the ECN, even if it will take us six months to register, we will continue with our activities of mobilising support.”
According to her, the LPM welcomes the objections and sees them as sign of the growth of democracy.
“We are not objecting to anything,” Mootu said.
She added that if there were problems with names the LPM had added to a list it submitted to the ECN last year, it was happy to drum up support from other members of the public.
The LPM’s registration hit a snag when Nekundi alleged there were problems with the names added to LPM’s list of supporters. Among them was allegedly someone who died in May 2018. According to Nekundi, who has officially objected to the ECN, he has a death certificate to prove this.
Nekundi added that the name of the deceased person was altered on the list, and that wants the LPM to comply with the law.
ECN chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro was quoted as saying that he would look into the claims.
He added that when they received the LPM's submission, they checked if the names listed were of genuinely registered voters.
Mujoro said they would also scrutinise the objections they received on Saturday and ascertain all the facts before they inform the public if there are any duplications, and if yes, how many.
He also said a dead person's name could have included on the list.
“Someone could have died after signing. It can't be helped,” Mujoro added.
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