Staff Reporter
PETER Shaama, the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer, has urged all aspiring independent candidates for the 2024 Presidential Elections to familiarise themselves with the requirements they must meet to participate.
“Aspiring candidates are cautioned about the prescribed strict statutory timelines, with the Independent Candidates’ nomination period set to run from 26 September 2024 to 14 October 2024, and the Commission’s public sitting set to convene on 16 October 2024,” Shaama said.
He explained that under Section 73 of the amended Electoral Act 5 of 2014, the names of independent candidates will only be made known to the Commission after the issuance of the proclamation in accordance with Section 64 of the Act, which is set for 26 September 2024.
Shaama pointed out that Section 72 of the amended Electoral Act 5 of 2014 stipulates that an individual may only be nominated as a candidate for election to the office of the president if the person qualifies in terms of Article 28(3) of the Namibian Constitution and is registered as a voter.
He further noted that independent candidates, who are not nominated by a registered political party, must have their nomination supported by at least 500 registered voters from each region, totalling at least 7,000 supporters.
“The Commission reiterates that the required names of supporters should be registered voters. It therefore goes without saying that the names to be submitted to the Commission should be those that appear on the Voters’ Register. Aspiring candidates are hereby informed that the 2014 Voters’ Register is only valid until 30 September 2024, which is the day on which the 2024 Voters’ Register will be gazetted. This means that the 2014 Voters’ Register will then be discarded,” Shaama explained.
He stressed that the Commission will only accept lists of supporters based on the 2014 Voters’ Register if the lists are submitted by 30 September 2024.
“In the event that the list of required supporters (registered voters) is submitted after 30 September 2024, the Commission will verify it against the Voters’ Register produced during the 2024 GRV, which is set to be published in the Government Gazette on 30 September 2024,” Shaama said.
