WINDHOEK – Two Namibian opposition parties have secured a court order granting them access to election materials as they prepare to challenge the results of the November 27 presidential and parliamentary elections.
The ruling, issued on Friday by Namibia’s electoral court, directs the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to provide detailed records of votes cast and counted at each polling station. This data must be made available to the opposition parties, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), by next week.
The IPC, the largest opposition party, stated in its court filing that the elections were marred by irregularities, including extended voting periods in some areas due to ballot shortages and technical issues. The party argued that access to the data would help assess the scale of these issues and determine whether legal action is warranted to challenge the validity of the results.
SWAPO, Namibia’s ruling party, maintained its 34-year grip on power in the polls, with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah declared president-elect. However, opposition parties have called the election process flawed and potentially invalid.
In her victory speech last week, Nandi-Ndaitwah dismissed allegations of irregularities, stating, “I am not even listening to those critics.” The ECN also defended the elections, describing them as free and fair.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, set to take office in March as Namibia’s first female president, has yet to comment on the court’s decision. Meanwhile, the opposition parties continue to scrutinize the election process as part of their broader efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in the country’s democratic system.
