Election officials at the Ongwediva College of Education polling station in the Oshana region messed up and, as such, were instructed to thoroughly recount the ballot papers at that station.
The co-ordinator of elections in the region, Ndilimeke Mavulu, confirmed this in an interview on Monday morning.
Mavulu told Nampa that the situation also resulted in the intervention of the regional commander of the Namibian Police (NamPol), Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa on Sunday.
She pointed out that security was also strengthened with the deployment of NamPol detective officers at the polling station to ensure that no foul play is taking place.
The seriousness of the matter was that the station’s results’ sheet disappeared while the station’s presiding officer was about to officially announce the results to those who attended the station’s counting process.
Mavulu said neither the presiding officer nor any other official could provide clear explanations as to how the results sheet disappeared.
However, counting officials for the political parties said they have their own records of results, and it was only the electoral officials who messed up with theirs.
The recounting of the ballot papers continued at the Ongwediva College of Education the whole of this morning before the ballot papers could be transported to the Ongwediva Trade Fair Centre, where the constituency’s verification of results takes place.
Election officials from all other stations in Ongwediva also remained under instructions to do the recounting of the ballot papers at the Trade Fair Centre on Monday morning because of some irregularities discovered during the verification of their stations’ results.
Meanwhile, most NamPol officers posted to the Ongwediva College of Education looked tired, while some of them complained that the election officials are ‘holding them hostage’ by taking so long in counting and verifying the ballot papers on time.
(NAMPA)