Staff Reporter
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), Peter Shaama, confirmed that the vote counting process has been completed at most polling stations, and the preliminary results now await verification before the commission can announce the official election results.
“Immediately after the process of the polls concluded, all polling stations commenced with the counting process. They had to follow a prescribed process to make sure that the verification, the reconciliation of the materials, particularly the ballot papers, is well done. So, I would like to inform you that counting has been concluded in most of all our polling stations,” Shaama said.
He made these remarks at a press briefing this afternoon, where he disclosed that the polling stations that have not yet completed the counting process were delayed due to long distances and the necessary procedures they must follow.
Video: ECN
Shaama highlighted that the preliminary election results have been posted at the polling stations that have completed the counting process, and teams have since moved to the coalition centres, where the verification process begins. However, he emphasised that the verification process is time-consuming and urged the public to remain patient.
“The returning officers of the coalition centres for the constituency or local authorities, they are collecting all the results from all the teams that have concluded. Once that process is done, they have now to announce the preliminary election results post at the coalition centres and forward the election results to the central election result centre. So, the same process is happening at the central election results centre. In other words, when we receive the preliminary election from the returning officers, we have to verify to make sure that whatever the returning officer had announced as preliminary election results is correct. Where we detect a discrepancy, we do not have the power to effect any change. That particular result is sent back to the returning officer concerned so that they can effect the necessary adjustment where necessary,” Shaama explained.
