Live Blog-02-12-2009

As released today: this might cause a few waves...

Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Election Observer Mission to the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Namibia, November 27 and 28, 2009

Interim statement

Recommendations

In view of the foregoing, the Mission recommends as follows:

·         That the state media in Namibia be insulated from direct government control by the establishment of an independent media institution with the responsibility of appointment and dismissal of heads of state media

·         That without prejudice to the allocation of airtime to reflect the representation of parties in parliament that a certain minimum threshold of free airtime be allocated to every contesting political party.  The 60% - 40% airtime allocation to parties represented in parliament and those contesting elections respectively should be considered.

·         That the independence and capacity of the Namibia police be enhanced and consolidated to ensure the peace, security and stability of Namibia and the integrity of the electoral process in future elections.

·         Currently, political party funding is provided to parties in parliament, the Mission recommends that public funding of political parties be extended to all contesting political parties.

·         That all registered political parties in Namibia should meet the pre-condition of a certain minimum presence in all the regions in Namibia as a safeguard against parochial ethnic-based parties and abuse of the proposed public funding of political parties.

·         Training of electoral staff and party agents be enhanced to adequately equip them to make their obligations in respect of the general electoral process and tendered ballot voting in particular.

·         That a review of the electoral process in respect of tendered votes to ensure the confidentiality and the secrecy of the vote.

·         That the declaration of provisional announcement of results at polling stations and the official declaration of the final results by the ECN be expeditiously carried out to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

·         That the voters register compiled by the ECN be after due consultation with all stakeholders and its contents finalised and the gazetted version of the voters’ register should be made available to all contesting political parties within reasonable time.

·         That the quality of the indelible ink used in subsequent elections be assessed and tested in mock trials in country to ensure its durability and effectiveness.

·         Political parties should endeavour to achieve the 50% women representation in their party lists.