Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) Movement on Wednesday announced that it will contest the upcoming regional and local authority elections scheduled.
AR spokesperson George Kambala said the movement will nominate community organisers, unionists, teachers, unemployed youth, and activists rather than career politicians.
Namibians are set to vote in the Regional Council and Local Authority Elections on 26 November 2025, while a Special Voting Day for election officials and police officers will be held on 24 November 2025.
“The movement will not be funded by tenderpreneurs or looters,” Kambala said, adding that AR will campaign with truth, integrity, and a radical programme for people’s power.
“We are not contesting elections to decorate the councils but to take over and transform them into vehicles of direct democracy and grassroots development.”
He urged eligible citizens to register to vote and update their voter cards where necessary.
“To those that have just turned 18 years old, this is your time to step up and register to vote in the upcoming elections. Do not outsource your future. Own it,” Kambala said.
This comes as the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) began the supplementary registration of voters across the country this week.
The registration process will run until 19 August 2025. The nomination period is set to begin on 26 September, with the nomination of independent candidates scheduled for 14 October and party candidates for 16 October 2025.
Also during the press conference, Kambala welcomed the government’s decision to appoint Namibia Post Limited (NamPost) as the new distributor of social grants.
He described it as a progressive step toward restoring public control over essential services and improving accessibility for rural and marginalised communities.
“This shift provides an opportunity to strengthen public institutions and improve service delivery for vulnerable citizens who depend on social grants, including pensioners, carers, and people with disabilities. The move aligns with AR’s long-standing position that the state must play a central role in delivering critical services to its people,” he said.
However, Kambala warned that many post office branches currently face staff shortages, operate with limited hours, and experience cash flow challenges.
“We therefore urge the government and NamPost to urgently implement the following measures: increase staffing and provide adequate infrastructure at all NamPost outlets, extend operating hours to serve more people and reduce congestion, deploy mobile units to reach remote and hard-to-access communities, ensure consistent availability of funds to avoid delays in payments and strengthen public communication through accessible platforms such as radio, local newspapers, and community meetings,” he said.
