Namibians Left Waiting as High Voter Turnout Leads to Ballot Shortages and ECN extends voting hours early Thursday morning. Image: Simon Maina.
(The Post News)- Namibia’s highly anticipated presidential and national assembly elections on November 27 saw an unexpectedly high voter turnout, creating a situation that electoral observers are calling both a testament to democratic participation and a logistical failure. The day was marred by widespread ballot paper shortages, leaving many unable to cast their votes. This situation raised questions about the efficiency of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) and the credibility of the elections.
Fifteen presidential candidates and 21 political parties are vying for the nation’s leadership, with 1.45 million eligible voters expected to decide the outcome. Polling stations across the country began reporting ballot shortages as early as 3 p.m., with some voters unable to cast their ballots by the official 9 p.m. closing time. Although the ECN extended voting hours to accommodate those still in line, many citizens expressed frustration on X.
Black Jesus took to Twitter to express outrage, saying, “How does an institution have four years to prepare for elections and still manage to fail so miserably? This is an insult to the democratic process and a slap in the face to every voter who showed up to exercise their right.”
The African Press Agency (AFP) reported widespread criticism from opposition parties over the ECN’s handling of the election, particularly the long queues and lack of communication. Adding to the frustration, ECN officials were reportedly unreachable for much of the day. Ballot shortages across multiple constituencies have fueled speculation about possible electoral manipulation.
The law firm Conradie Inc., acting on behalf of Dr. Panduleni Itula and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), lodged a formal complaint arguing that ballot shortages violated the constitutional right to political participation as outlined in Article 17 of Namibia’s Constitution, stating that “the unavailability of ballot papers infringes upon this fundamental right and raises serious questions about the conduct of these elections,” the statement read.
The African Press Agency (AFP) reported that the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) said it was extending voting hours as some citizens are still voting this morning. Ballot counting began at some stations shortly after the polls officially closed, with early results expected by Saturday, November 30.
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