PDM bays for ECN’s blood

Hundreds of Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) protesters marched through Windhoek yesterday, calling on the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to cancel a ballot-printing tender it awarded to Ren-Form CC, a South African company accused of involvement in electoral fraud within the SADC region.Under close police escort, protesters marched from the UN Plaza to the ECN headquarters with posters reading: “Corruption stains our democracy”, “Our democracy is not for sale” and “We will not let Gucci Boy rig our elections”.‘Gucci Boy’ is a name associated with controversial Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, who allegedly has close links with Ren-Form.Chivayo stands accused of grossly inflating a contract to supply ballot papers to the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission as well as having close ties with Zimbabwe’s political elite.The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission earlier this year announced that it is investigating a case of money laundering and abuse of office centred around an alleged over-inflated tender by Ren-Form and the politically connected Chivayo. ECN, however, denied claims of price inflation of the current contract, saying it is worth N$6.2 million.Crashed and burnedECN has been lauded throughout the year for adhering to its electoral calendar, but its popularity has since crashed and burned over its decision to abort an international bidding process for the printing of ballots and instead hand-picking Ren-Form.PDM president McHenry Venaani, senior party members and protesters handed over a petition addressed to ECN’s chief electoral and referenda officer Petrus Shaama, calling for the immediate cancellation of the contract with Ren-Form. The party claimed that the company is embroiled in serious allegations of corruption linked to Zimbabwe's 2023 general election."The tender picked by the ECN was not well considered," Joel Mutorwa, PDM’s Khomas regional coordinator said during yesterday’s protest."After our research, we found that the person to whom the tender is awarded has been involved in electoral fraud in the SADC region. There are many unanswered questions, and we are here to demand clarity," he charged.The petition accused Ren-Form of corrupt practices, including inflating tender prices during the Zimbabwean election, which is currently under investigation in that country. Come cleanAccording to the petition, Ren-Form invoiced R23 million for a server worth only R90 000, raising alarm over its integrity and suitability to handle Namibia's crucial electoral materials.The PDM's petition demands the immediate termination of Ren-Form's contract, an independent investigation into the ECN's procurement process and the implementation of strict anti-corruption measures for future electoral contracts.Mutorwa added: “We want the ECN to come clean. We cannot afford to have the credibility of our democratic process questioned. We are peaceful, but we are resolute in our demands”.The protest comes amid rising tensions over Namibia’s upcoming elections, with PDM and other opposition parties questioning the ECN’s transparency and accountability in handling key aspects of the electoral process.

PDM bays for ECN’s blood

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-27

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PDM bays for ECN’s blood

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-27

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