Windhoek — The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has allocated just over N$12 million of its requested N$78 million annual budget for the purchase of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Doreen Sioka told MPs yesterday that Cabinet and President Hifikepunya Pohamba had in principle approved the purchase and introduction of the machines into the Namibian electoral system. The ECN, she said, plans to acquire the machines in two phases during this financial year and the next. She added that, in order to test the new machines, a further N$200 000 would be allocated for mock elections that would serve as a trial run before full implementation of the machines.

"The introduction of the EVM into the Namibian electoral system will be preceded by a meticulous and thorough preparation phase. Such preparation phase would include nationwide consultations with all stakeholders including the political parties, civic society organisations and most importantly the general electorate," she said.

In total, the ECN is requesting N$78 191 000 of the National Budget. Sioka said this amount was a "rather conservative" budget, due to the financial constraints and tightening measures being implemented by Government. Also on the cards for the Electoral Commission this year is the construction of its new headquarters, which should set its budget back by N$40 million.

The ECN was ejected from its offices at the old Bank of Namibia building in mid-2007, after the building was transferred to the Development Bank of Namibia. The commission is now housed in the Namibia Development Corporation's (NDC) building.

Other programmes provided for in the ECN budget include N$2,2 million for possible by-elections, more than N$5 million for ongoing voter registration and N$618 000 for the computerisation of ECN logistics.