PRESS RELEASE



During the counting process, Police officers prevented independent observers (i.e. human rights monitors and media practitioners) from closely observing the said process. This state of affairs created an impression that the counting process was not transparent. Hence, human rights monitors were unable to confirm the fairness of the allocation of the ballots cast to the contesting political parties.



Furthermore, the counting process was carried by four ECN officials per each of the three counting tables who only swiftly and simultaneously showed ballot papers to the altogether eight political party agents or representatives. In one case, RDP representative Hafeni Nghinamwaami had to collect an RDP ballot wrongly allocated to the SWAPO Party!



ECN presiding officers presented the following to the audience consisting of independent observers and political party agents:



Ballot box no. 101 from Omatha Comb. School: votes cast: 419

Ballot box no. 102 from Eenhana JSS: votes cast: 386

Ballot box no. 103 from Onambutu: votes cast: 542

Ballot box no. 104 from Okambubu Primary School, votes cast: 139

Ballot box no. 105 from Onankali North: votes cast: 445

Ballot box no. 106 from Okaneimbula : votes cast: 90

Ballot box no. 107 from Eenhana Community Hall : votes cast: 447

Ballot box no. 108 from Eenhana Tribal Office: votes cast: 326

Ballot box no. 109 from Eenhana Youth Centre: votes cast: 136

Ballot box no. 301 from Eenyama and Omhanda: votes cast: 335

Ballot box no. 302 from Epinga and Ohainengena: votes cast: 129

Ballot box no. 303 from Omevataahekele & Onhinda:

votes cast: 234

Ballot box no. 304 from Onamugolo and Onakayale JPS:votescast: 287

Ballot box no. 305 from Omishe and Epale: votes cast: 149

Ballot box no.306 from Ohaihana Kindergarten, Police and

Haimbili Haufiku SSS: votes cast: 145

Ballot box No. 307 from Onakatumbe & Eenhana Hospital: votescast: 340

Total number of votes cast as presented by presiding officials was: 4549



Returning Officer Hafeni Shipa announced the results as following: the total number of votes cast was 4481, 13 were rejected. The votes cast per political party candidate were given as follows: SWAPO: 4193; RDP: 289 and CoD: 12 votes.



Returning Officer Shipa declared Nehemia Haufiku of the SWAPO Party the winner of the Eenhana Regional Council By-Election 2008. Immediately thereafter, Ohangwena Governor Usko Nghaamwa strangely burst into singing praises for former Namibian President Sam Nujoma! NSHR observed the following flaws in the electoral process:



· A large number of voters allegedly from different constituencies who were seen lining up at different polling stations within the town of Eenhana was turned away.



· The total number of votes cast was given as 4 549 (as above) and the sum of the votes allocated to parties plus the 13 rejected ballots (i.e. 4 507) do not tally.



· Independent observers were not allowed to come closer to the tables where the counting process took place.



· The number of ballots cast for each political party candidate per polling station was not disclosed.



· Vote count had not taken place in situ (or in loco) and immediately after the voting process. This state of affairs makes it is easier to replace genuine ballot boxes with ones containing stuffed ballots. This can easily be done through the unaccompanied transportation of ballot boxes from the various polling stations to the central counting center or from one polling station to another.



Therefore, in addition to the above, NSHR is not in a position to declare the Eenhana electoral process as free and or fair because of the following reasons:



1. There were reports of irregularities in the supplementary voter registration process.



2. There were reports of provocations and intimidations by SWAPO Party members and supporters as well as secret dealings allegedly involving the Governor of Ohangwena and certain traditional leaders from such villages as Onambutu, Onankali North and others not to allow RDP and CoD parties to campaign freely in the areas of their respective jurisdiction.



3. The playfield was not level in terms of local NBC TV and Radio coverage. Some parties, such as CoD and RDP were allowed very little air time of about 4 minutes or less at a time during the campaign period.



4. The sudden and unexplained “suspension” of Elections Director Philemon Kanime and others constitutes a gross irregularity.



5. Throughout the electoral campaign, SWAPO Party officials extensively used State facilities, such as vehicles, office space and communications facilities for their party campaigns.



6. There were reports of SWAPO Party officials transporting voters from neighboring Constituencies, such as Okankolo and Epembe in order to vote at such villages, as Omishe and Ouhahe, both of them bordering the Epembe Constituency.



7. Throughout the electoral campaign there were widespread human rights and media reports of violence and other acts of intolerance by SWAPO Party members directed at especially RDP members and supporters.



8. The voter registration officials as well as presiding and other ECN officials were all of them either members or supporters of the SWAPO Party.



9. In its present form, the ECN (i.e. Electoral Commission of Namibia) is not considered as an impartial and a credible entity.



For further information please call: Beata Hainyondo or Phil ya Nangoloh at Tel: 065 263 271, 061 253 447 (during office hours) or Mobiles: +264 811 299 886 (Phil) or +264 812 744 932 (Beata)