RDP rejects ECN ballot printer proposal
Party blasts ‘unlevel playing field’
The opposition party fears that should ECN pick the printer for the ballot papers, Swapo is likely to win the elections.
The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) has slammed the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) for wanting an exemption to ‘hand-pick’ a printer for the ballot papers for next month’s elections.
ECN has faced resistance over plans to halt the ongoing bidding process to print ballot papers because it wants to pick a firm to do the job over fears that the process could otherwise be delayed.
The electoral body is allegedly afraid that the printing of the ballots might not be finalised before election day, especially if there are objections to the outcome of the tendering process.
ECN in early September said it had commenced the bidding process for the printing of ballot papers. But, according to the publicly available electoral calendar, this process was slated to begin on 1 August. The deadline for the process is 2 November.
Unlevel playing field
In a statement, RDP secretary-general Cecil Nguvauva called on ECN to protect the credibility of the electoral process, adding that it has lost the trust of many political parties in the country.
He said ECN's reputation has been tarnished enough and that most past elections have been contested heavily in the courts of law, leading to the electoral body’s credibility being questioned. "There is nothing as bad and undemocratic as an unlevel playing field, an unfair and very biased electoral environment in any given society that is continuously being created unnecessarily by the very organ that is supposed to uphold good conduct in its workings,” he said.
“The claims that ECN had to determine the voters roll first before it could decide how many ballots it ought to print is a lame excuse for an institution that has conducted elections for many years in the country. Electoral commissioners have failed in the discharge of their duties this time around and the excuse being advanced now does not hold any water at all,” Nguvauva added.
Ruling party ‘collusion’
RDP added that it sees this as a ploy which will “once again” see the commission fighting “to appoint a company to print the ballots that will ensure the ruling party wins the elections frivolously".
"RDP vehemently objects to the stance of the ECN where a printing company is to be appointed solely by the [electoral body], without regard to the normal procurement procedures,” a statement read.
“The RDP calls on the head of state to stop this apparent abuse of the state machinery for the benefit of one political party. Namibia does not deserve this," it added.
ECN has faced resistance over plans to halt the ongoing bidding process to print ballot papers because it wants to pick a firm to do the job over fears that the process could otherwise be delayed.
The electoral body is allegedly afraid that the printing of the ballots might not be finalised before election day, especially if there are objections to the outcome of the tendering process.
ECN in early September said it had commenced the bidding process for the printing of ballot papers. But, according to the publicly available electoral calendar, this process was slated to begin on 1 August. The deadline for the process is 2 November.
Unlevel playing field
In a statement, RDP secretary-general Cecil Nguvauva called on ECN to protect the credibility of the electoral process, adding that it has lost the trust of many political parties in the country.
He said ECN's reputation has been tarnished enough and that most past elections have been contested heavily in the courts of law, leading to the electoral body’s credibility being questioned. "There is nothing as bad and undemocratic as an unlevel playing field, an unfair and very biased electoral environment in any given society that is continuously being created unnecessarily by the very organ that is supposed to uphold good conduct in its workings,” he said.
“The claims that ECN had to determine the voters roll first before it could decide how many ballots it ought to print is a lame excuse for an institution that has conducted elections for many years in the country. Electoral commissioners have failed in the discharge of their duties this time around and the excuse being advanced now does not hold any water at all,” Nguvauva added.
Ruling party ‘collusion’
RDP added that it sees this as a ploy which will “once again” see the commission fighting “to appoint a company to print the ballots that will ensure the ruling party wins the elections frivolously".
"RDP vehemently objects to the stance of the ECN where a printing company is to be appointed solely by the [electoral body], without regard to the normal procurement procedures,” a statement read.
“The RDP calls on the head of state to stop this apparent abuse of the state machinery for the benefit of one political party. Namibia does not deserve this," it added.
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