Namibia opposition demonstrates against ballots contract

As Namibia prepares to hold a general election next month, the country's main opposition party has objected to the South African company hired to print the ballots.

The company, Ren-Form, is under investigation by Zimbabwe’s anti-corruption commission for alleged fraudulent conduct during that country’s elections.

Over 110 members of Namibia’s People’s Democratic Movement marched to the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s offices in the capital on Tuesday.

They delivered a petition asking it to cancel a contract with Ren-Form, which is to design, print and deliver ballot papers to be used in Namibia’s elections.

Party leader McHenry Venaani said Ren-Form is tainted by the 2023 allegations in Zimbabwe.

"The accusation of the money that is involved is going into millions of Namibian dollars, over 800 million Namibian dollars to be exact, [for a company] currently under investigation by the Zimbabwean anti-corruption commission for money-laundering and abuse of office," Venaani said.

VOA contacted Ren-Form for comment but has not received a response.

Political analyst Rakkel Andreas, who was stationed as an observer in last year’s elections in Zimbabwe, said the party's reservations and protests against the contract with Ren-Form are valid.

She told VOA the company contributed to what she called “systemic disruption” during the Zimbabwe elections.

"There were some polling stations where ballot papers were not delivered on time. People needed to come back the next day. Of course, one could argue that the electoral body of Zimbabwe was tasked with the distribution, it’s true," she said.

"But there were certain things, certain materials that only became available to them later on, after the elections, so in that regard the position of the PDM is definitely valid.”

Andreas said the PDM is right to speak up now so that it can object to any irregularities seen on or after election day.

The Electoral Commission of Namibia accepted the petition by the main opposition and said they will forward it to the relevant institutions.

The commission's spokesperson, De Wet Malauli, said in an earlier interview with VOA that the commission stands by the awarding of the contract to Ren-Form and said the accusations against the company are baseless.

He said the allegations are meant to undermine public confidence in the electoral body that oversees Namibia’s elections.

“The decision to award the contract to Ren-Form was made following a thorough, rigorous evaluation process that adhered to the laws governing procurement," he said.

"Factors considered included compliance with the technical requirements, cost-effectiveness, reliability and the ability to meet strict timelines.”

He said the company being questioned has a track record of more than 70 elections over 20 years on the African continent, and the body will not rescind its decision.

The PDM said it is consulting its lawyers with the goal of having the company removed from the election process.

Fifteen presidential candidates and 21 political parties will contest the elections in Namibia, slated for the November 27.

The general election is Namibia's seventh since attaining independence from South Africa in 1990.