This ruling follows claims from opposition parties, including the Landless People's Movement (LPM) and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), alleging irregularities that could potentially invalidate the election results. The opposition has raised concerns about extended voting periods, which they claim were not adequately addressed, alongside other issues they believe undermined the integrity of the election.

The court's decision mandates that the opposition parties be allowed to inspect materials such as the number of votes cast at each polling station. However, the sealed ballot papers will not be part of the inspection, as they are considered confidential. The opposition parties are particularly interested in reviewing the number of voters who voted outside their registered constituencies, a complex issue due to voter registration practices that allowed Namibians to register without specifying their constituency. This, according to journalist in Namibia Ester Mbathera, makes it difficult to track the number of out-of-constituency votes accurately.

In addition to this, the opposition parties have raised concerns about a high number of rejected or spoiled ballots. Approximately 6 000 ballots were deemed invalid during the election, with voters making errors such as crossing out the entire ballot or leaving it incomplete. The parties argue that this could have affected the election outcome and are seeking transparency in the handling of these ballots.

The ECN is required to provide the requested materials for inspection between December 18 and 19, but the process will be strictly supervised by the Namibian police and the Electoral Commission. Representatives from each party that participated in the National Assembly elections will be allowed to be present during the inspection process, in accordance with the court's order.

As for the ruling's broader implications, the likelihood of a re-run of the elections remains uncertain. Some political analysts believe that if serious irregularities are found, Namibia may need to go back to the polls, a prospect that could strain the country's resources. However, if the inspection does not reveal any substantial issues, the results will stand, and the newly elected president, Hage Geingob, will be sworn in on March 21, 2025.

In addition to electoral matters, Namibia has recently seen significant strides in media freedom, with the Namibia Media Professionals Union (NMPU) being formally registered. This achievement marks a critical moment for journalists, who now have a recognized platform to advocate for better working conditions, especially regarding employment standards and contract security. However, challenges to media freedom remain, with increasing concerns over access to information and the treatment of journalists by government officials.

--Channel Africa--