IPC rejects ECN post-election report, wants chairperson sacked
The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge has rubbished the recently released Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) post-election report, saying it “must be thrown into a dustbin” because it excludes the voices of political parties.
Nashinge said IPC cannot accept a report that has zero inputs from all stakeholders who witnessed the mess, the arrogance and partisan behaviors of ECN.
He questioned the omission of experiences and frustrations expressed by political parties that participated in the elections, asserting that these parties, through their constituents, are the rightful custodians of the democratic process.
Nashinge further called for the dismissal of ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua and her team, accusing them of failing in their constitutional duties. “The ECN chairperson's approach in blowing her own horn is disrespectful, unpatriotic and anti-democratic. Her arrogance is preventing her from seeing the real picture and taking real responsibility for her terrible, unforgivable failure to deliver a perfect job,” he told Namibian Sun.
“How do we reconcile with logistical failures and the controversial voting extensions, deliberate technical glitches and verification tablets, stakeholder engagement and transparency deficits, legal and procedural concerns? The best that should be done is firing her [Elsie Nghikembua] and her entire unpatriotic and pathetic team,” he said.
Nashinge proposed that the minister of urban and rural development Sankwasa James Sankwasa should table urgent amendments to the Electoral Act in the National Assembly to pave the way for reforms. “We need to rescue our democracy that is allegedly destroyed by Nghikembua and her team,” he said, adding that IPC is ready to be part of the solution.
In response, ECN spokesperson De Wet Siluka rejected claims that the report was compiled without stakeholder input. “Throughout the electoral process, the commission proactively engaged with various stakeholders to ensure transparency and inclusivity. Key aspects of this engagement include the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PLC), where since the launch of the 2024 electoral calendar on 7 March 2024, the commission engaged regularly and held meetings with political parties through the established PLC to brief, share information, and receive constructive feedback,” Siluka said.
He added that political parties were invited to observe mock voter registration exercises and were also allowed to oversee the entire ballot paper procurement process in South Africa, at ECN’s cost. “Parties also had the opportunity to observe the arrival, distribution, and deployment of ballot papers locally,” he noted.
Responding to calls for Nghikembua’s removal, Siluka said: “ECN is a constitutional body established under Article 94B of the Namibian constitution and further governed by the Electoral Act. The appointment and removal of the ECN chairperson and other commissioners, as well as the chief electoral and referenda officer, are strictly governed by specific legal provisions outlined in the Electoral Act.”
Nashinge reiterated that as the official opposition, IPC’s mandate is to speak on behalf of citizens who felt alienated by the process. “Yes, we vigorously contested the results and the processes in court and in the court of public opinion. We did so because we believe Namibians deserve elections that are not just technically ‘free and fair’ on paper, but truly credible and beyond reproach in experience. Even in conceding to the court’s decision, we do not concede that the ECN’s performance was acceptable.”
ECN rejected that notion, saying most observer missions declared the elections free, fair, and credible, despite some technical and operational glitches, and praised the peaceful conduct of the polls. ECN has pledged to consider the observations and recommendations from these missions to enhance future electoral processes.
The electoral body added that, additionally, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the 2024 election results in the case of Dr Panduleni Itula and two others versus the president of the Republic of Namibia and 32 others. “The court found that the extension of the voting period was lawful and necessary to protect the constitutional right to vote, dismissing claims of discrimination or executive overreach,” Siluka said.
Nashinge said IPC cannot accept a report that has zero inputs from all stakeholders who witnessed the mess, the arrogance and partisan behaviors of ECN.
He questioned the omission of experiences and frustrations expressed by political parties that participated in the elections, asserting that these parties, through their constituents, are the rightful custodians of the democratic process.
Nashinge further called for the dismissal of ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua and her team, accusing them of failing in their constitutional duties. “The ECN chairperson's approach in blowing her own horn is disrespectful, unpatriotic and anti-democratic. Her arrogance is preventing her from seeing the real picture and taking real responsibility for her terrible, unforgivable failure to deliver a perfect job,” he told Namibian Sun.
“How do we reconcile with logistical failures and the controversial voting extensions, deliberate technical glitches and verification tablets, stakeholder engagement and transparency deficits, legal and procedural concerns? The best that should be done is firing her [Elsie Nghikembua] and her entire unpatriotic and pathetic team,” he said.
Nashinge proposed that the minister of urban and rural development Sankwasa James Sankwasa should table urgent amendments to the Electoral Act in the National Assembly to pave the way for reforms. “We need to rescue our democracy that is allegedly destroyed by Nghikembua and her team,” he said, adding that IPC is ready to be part of the solution.
In response, ECN spokesperson De Wet Siluka rejected claims that the report was compiled without stakeholder input. “Throughout the electoral process, the commission proactively engaged with various stakeholders to ensure transparency and inclusivity. Key aspects of this engagement include the Political Parties Liaison Committee (PLC), where since the launch of the 2024 electoral calendar on 7 March 2024, the commission engaged regularly and held meetings with political parties through the established PLC to brief, share information, and receive constructive feedback,” Siluka said.
He added that political parties were invited to observe mock voter registration exercises and were also allowed to oversee the entire ballot paper procurement process in South Africa, at ECN’s cost. “Parties also had the opportunity to observe the arrival, distribution, and deployment of ballot papers locally,” he noted.
Responding to calls for Nghikembua’s removal, Siluka said: “ECN is a constitutional body established under Article 94B of the Namibian constitution and further governed by the Electoral Act. The appointment and removal of the ECN chairperson and other commissioners, as well as the chief electoral and referenda officer, are strictly governed by specific legal provisions outlined in the Electoral Act.”
Nashinge reiterated that as the official opposition, IPC’s mandate is to speak on behalf of citizens who felt alienated by the process. “Yes, we vigorously contested the results and the processes in court and in the court of public opinion. We did so because we believe Namibians deserve elections that are not just technically ‘free and fair’ on paper, but truly credible and beyond reproach in experience. Even in conceding to the court’s decision, we do not concede that the ECN’s performance was acceptable.”
ECN rejected that notion, saying most observer missions declared the elections free, fair, and credible, despite some technical and operational glitches, and praised the peaceful conduct of the polls. ECN has pledged to consider the observations and recommendations from these missions to enhance future electoral processes.
The electoral body added that, additionally, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the 2024 election results in the case of Dr Panduleni Itula and two others versus the president of the Republic of Namibia and 32 others. “The court found that the extension of the voting period was lawful and necessary to protect the constitutional right to vote, dismissing claims of discrimination or executive overreach,” Siluka said.
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