Venaani votes

 

DTA president McHenry Venaani voted at 09h45 at the Baines Shopping Center polling station in Windhoek's Pioneers Park area.

Accompanied by his wife Claudina, Venaani urged Namibians to go out in numbers and go and vote.

“I passed by polling stations around and they look empty,” he said.

After voting, the leader of the official opposition said, “it is a good feeling knowing I did my civic duty.”

Venaani further said peace is maintained by the opposition and asked people to “stop the rot” that is within local authorities by voting.

 Photos: Henry van Rooi

Low tide at Walvis polling stations

Narraville Primary School. Quiet...

By 09h30 this morning only 15 voters have cast their votes at Long Beach in the Walvis Bay Rural Constituency.

At the busiest polling stations only about 150 voters have cast their votes so far.

The polling station at Narraville Primary School, usually packed by this time, was eerily quiet when The Namibian visited earlier

About 130 voters cast their votes there so far today.

Polling officials have encouraged officers from other polling stations to refer voters there if they experience long queues.

Polling officials however expect more voters after lunch.

Voting in Walvis Bay is proceeding smoothly but a few elderly voters are struggling to understand how the EVMs work.

Other Walvis Bay Urban Constituency polling stations in Narraville are also very quiet.

 

Swapo scores uncontested wins

 

THE Swapo Party has a head start over its rivals in the 2015 regional council and local authority elections.

The ruling party has already scored wins in 26 constituencies in which its regional council candidates faced no competition from other candidates, and in five local authorities where Swapo was the only party to nominate candidates.

Swapo’s uncontested wins in local authority elections are at the Oshikoto region capital, Omuthiyawiipundi, at Oniipa, also in Oshikoto, and at Okahao, Outapi and Tsandi in Omusati.

Regional council constituencies where Swapo candidates were elected unopposed are:

!Nami≠Nûs (//Karas region)

Epembe (Ohangwena)

Anamulenge, Elim, Okahao, Onesi, Oshikuku, Otamanzi, Outapi, Tsandi (Omusati region)

Okaku, Okatana, Okatyali, Ondangwa Rural, Ompundja, Uukwiyu, Uuvadhiya (all in Oshana)

Eengodi, Guinas, Nehale LyaMpingana, Okankolo, Olukonda, Omuntele, Onayena, Oniipa, Onyaanya (all in Oshikoto).

Technical difficulties in Okakarara

The large number of voters who turned up to vote early in Okakarara, in the Otjozondjupa region, were let down by polling stations opening late and others experiencing technical difficulties.

Okakarara returning officer, Karen Tjijombo claimed all polling stations opened on time and that the voting process is continuing smoothly.

However, The Namibian observed that the Okakarara Vocational Training Centre opened 07h45, while the old age home polling station opened on time but experienced technical difficulties with the voter verification device (VVD).

An officer at the Okakarara Community Hall polling station said they also experienced challenges with the VVD.

Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) official Erwin Katjatako confirmed the technical difficulties but said the officers are now using the manual voters roll to verify voters.

“The turnout is really good and surprising. It shows people are really exercising their rights,” said Katjako.

Photos: Ndanki Kahiurika

Swakopmund voters sleep at polling stations

IN LINE ... Residents of DRC informal settlement in Swakopmund showed up at voting venues at 03h00 and marked their spaces with empty buckets and chairs to ensure they are the first to vote in the Regional and Local Authority elections . This photo was taken at DRC Fire Station. Photo: Nampa

Voters at Swakopmund in the Erongo Region showed up at voting venues as early as 02h00 to cast their votes in the Regional Council and Local Authority Elections underway here.
Although she was not one of the few who lined up since 02h00, Florence Ochs, 64, was the first person to vote at the Tamariskia Hall at exactly 07h00 when the polling station opened.
She and several other elderly people were given the opportunity to vote first.
In the DRC informal settlement, eight people were observed queuing at the DRC Community Centre polling station at 05h00.
By 05h21, 15 voters had showed up at the DRC Fire Station polling venue, where they marked their spaces with empty buckets and chairs to ensure they vote among the first. Most of these voters are construction and mine workers who had to start work at 08h00.
When Nampa arrived at the Mile 4 Caravan Park mobile polling station at 07h15, the voting was in progress with 10 people, mostly elders, waiting in the queue.
The Returning Officer for Swakopmund Constituency, Tuaameni Haukongo confirmed to Nampa that all the venues opened on time at 07h00 and the election is progressing without hiccups.
There are seven constituencies in Erongo, 74 fixed polling stations and 41 mobile teams.
A total 106 246 registered voters across Erongo are expected to vote.
-Nampa

Slow and low in Otjomuise

At Michelle McLean polling station in Windhoek's Otjomuise suburb, the voting machine is still not working. Fewer than five people voted in the last two hours.
Voting in Sewende Laan going smoothly.
There is definitely a lower turnout for these elections, judging by queues in Otjomuise.

EVMs in Khorixas malfunctioning

SERVICE PLEASE ... An elderly woman scoops water from a burst water pipe for both drinking and cleaning purpose in the Donkerhoek informal settlement of Khorixas. Photo: Nampa

The timing on some electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the Khorixas Constituency is off.
Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) Khorixas Presiding Officer, Jacqueline Amamus said the timing on some EVMs is delayed with 10 minutes.
“But I contacted the technicians and they assured me that the machines are fine, just as long as they are not delayed by 30 minutes or more,” she told Nampa in Khorixas on Friday during the Regional Council and Local Authority Elections, underway countrywide.
Other than that, no problems were reported by the ECN officials at most of the polling stations in the Khorixas district, she said.
Meanwhile, about 200 eligible voters queued up as early as 03h00 in front of the Eddie Bowe Primary School gate in Khorixas on Friday to vote.
Peterus Fabian, 32, who has lived in Khorixas for 10 years, says he arrived at the polling station at 03h00.
“I’m here to vote for development in Khorixas. Since I arrived here in Khorixas I never had a formal job,” he stressed.
Christina Khaises, 61, joined the cue at 04h00. She hopes her vote will bring development to Khorixas.
“I’m voting for change in Khorixas. We want shops, we want better council services. Currently the town council services are very poor,” she noted.
Another elderly person, 68-year-old Nicanor Awaseb, said he is stranded without a house of his own.
“I don’t have a house, currently as old as I am, I am renting at a woman’s house. With my vote I want an old age home to be established here in Khorixas,” he said.
A total of 7 977 eligible voters have registered to cast their votes in this year’s elections; most of them in dire need of job opportunities and better services from the Khorixas Town Council.

-Nampa

Off to the polls... 2015 Elections in numbers

WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? ... Electoral Commission of Namibia regional coordinator for //Karas, Sixtus Isaacks oversees election preparations at the Suiderlig High School in Keetmanshoop on Monday. Photo: Nampa

 NAMIBIAN voters are going to the polls in the country’s fifth regional council and local authority elections since independence today.

After more than 25 years as Namibia’s ruling party, the Swapo Party is going into the elections as the overwhelming favourite.

Before the start of voting, it was already ahead of its political rivals after 26 of its candidates in regional council constituencies were elected unopposed, while Swapo candidates in five local authorities also faced no contest from other parties or residents’ associations.

In 95 constituencies and 52 local authorities, where the ruling party is facing a challenge from other candidates, voting will take place, though.

Swapo is the only party that has nominated candidates in all of Namibia’s regional council constituencies and local authorities.

Some key numbers for voting day 2015:

121 – regional council constituencies in Namibia

57 – local authorities in Namibia

287 – candidates standing in today’s regional council elections, of which 26 are Swapo candidates who were elected unopposed

43 – female candidates nominated in the regional council elections

9 – regional councillors from opposition parties elected in 2010

5 – constituencies won by opposition parties in 2014 National Assembly election

121 – Swapo candidates in 2015 regional council elections

58 – DTA candidates nominated for regional council seats

2 – DTA regional councillors elected in 2010 (both in Kunene)

53 – Rally for Democracy and Progress candidates running in regional council elections

1 – RDP regional councillor elected in 2010 (in Windhoek East, Khomas)

15 – All People’s Party candidates taking part in regional council elections

14 – Nudo candidates running in regional council elections

3 – Nudo regional councillors elected in 2010 (two in Omaheke, one in Otjozondjupa)

8 – United Democratic Front regional council candidates

3 – UDF victories in 2010 regional council polls (all in Kunene)

0 – constituencies won by UDF in 2014 National Assembly election

5 – Swanu candidates in 2015 regional council elections

8 – independent candidates in regional council elections

3 – United People’s Movement candidates in regional council elections (all in Rehoboth constituencies)

10 – political parties contesting regional council elections

14 – political parties taking part in local authority elections

7 – residents’ associations on the ballot in local authority elections

2 – local authorities where the Congress of Democrats is fielding candidates (Usakos and Gochas)

0 – CoD regional council candidates

President Geingob votes

President Hage Geingob was the first person to vote in the country’s regional and local authority elections at the MTC headquarters polling station in Olympia in the Windhoek East constituency.

After voting, ECN chairperson Notemba Tjipueja introduced the Presidential Affairs and Public Administration minister of Botswana, Eric Molale, who is in the country to observe elections, to the president.

The minister is accompanied by MPs and opposition leaders of that country who are also here to observe the elections.

Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua and Swapo secretary general Nangolo Mbumba were also present.

President Geingob described the voting as peaceful and well-organised.

“I am happy because when I arrived people were already in the queue. That means they did not only listened to my call for them to vote but they also listened to their civic duty,” said the head of state, who is to leave for Valletta, Malta later today.

He further said Namibians will come out to vote. He said, “voting is the thing we fought for, were exiled for and jailed for.” 

VETERAN VOTE… 98-year-old Jesaja August was escorted to the MTC headquarters in Olympia to cast his vote by his niece, Rosalia Mwashekeleh-Sibiya.

DONE … President Hage Geingob leaves the voting booth after being the first person to vote in the country’s regional and local authority elections at the MTC headquarters polling station in Olympia in the Windhoek East constituency. All photos: Henry van Rooi

KEEN VOTERS... Voters at Keetmanshoop has lined up at the Youth Centre polling station as early as 06h00 to cast their votes during the regional and local authoritie elections today. However, some polling stations across the town saw short queues compared to the national elections held last year.
Photo: Luqman Cloete