Justicia Shipena
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has warned all electoral officials against negligence or misconduct that could undermine the country’s electoral process.
The warning comes as ECN prepares for the upcoming Regional Councils and Local Authorities elections set for later this year.
Chairperson Elise Nghikembua issued the warning on Monday during a training session in Otjiwarongo.
The session is part of preparations for the Supplementary Registration of Voters (SRV) ahead of the 2025 regional council and local authority elections.
The training brought together regional electoral officers, IT officers, logistics officers, and supervisors of registration from all 14 regions.
“I should emphasise that the Commission will not tolerate laxity by any electoral staff in undertaking their duties or any conduct that compromises the Commission’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the electoral process,” said Nghikembua.
She said Section 65 of the Electoral Act allows the Commission to appoint or remove any electoral official in cases of negligence.
Section 176 outlines the penalties.
All officials are expected to become familiar with these legal provisions during the training.
Nghikembua said the training aims to prepare officials with the technical, legal, and administrative skills needed to manage and supervise elections at the regional and constituency levels in line with the Electoral Act No. 5 of 2014.
This SRV process targets those who turned 18 after the 2024 General Registration of Voters, people who lost or damaged their voter cards, and voters who changed their physical address.
To improve operations, ECN changed its training model.
Regional IT support teams now receive targeted training based on past challenges.
The sessions also include role-plays, form-filling exercises, and simulations to boost field readiness.
Nghikembua reminded all officials that training attendance is mandatory.
Only those who pass a performance test will be allowed to work as polling officials.
She urged participants to carry out their work in a transparent and non-partisan manner and to apply emotional intelligence when dealing with voters.
“A firm understanding of the legal framework, logistics, and emotional intelligence will make your lives easier and enhance the overall electoral experience,” she said.
She said the Commission expects the knowledge gained during training to be passed on to other officials to ensure consistency across all regions.
“Let’s make the most of our time together by sharing our experiences, learning from each other, and fostering a supportive environment,” she said.
