Denver Isaacs
21 April 2008
Windhoek — Although the first consignment of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be purchased by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) this year, the ECN Act still needs to be revised before these machines can be put into use.
This was stated by Prime Minister Nahas Angula in the National Assembly last week, in reply to a question by Deputy Labour Minister Petrus Illonga.
Illonga, during discussion on the National Budget on Wednesday, wanted to know why MPs were being asked to approve more than N$12 million for EVMs that have only been approved in principle. During her motivation for the ECN's budget on Wednesday, NA Deputy Speaker Doreen Sioka said Cabinet had approved the machines in principle. The machines would be acquired in two phases. The first phase was planned for this year and the second for the 2009/2010 financial year.
Angula said when the ECN first demonstrated the machines to Cabinet following a fact-finding mission to India, Cabinet agreed that the machines would be worth investing in, as they would "address some problems, especially with the counting of votes".
However, the Prime Minister said, Cabinet did not have the power to amend the Electoral Act without Parliament, and thus only agreed in principle to the purchase.
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