Brigitte Weidlich
9 July 2009
THE sessions of the National Assembly have been extended for two weeks to debate on the long-awaited amendments to the Electoral Act, which will be tabled by Local and Regional Government Minister Jerry Ekandjo today.
"I ask Members to consider this amendment bill as urgent," Minister Ekandjo told the House, when he announced he would introduce the amendments, which will include the use of the controversial electronic voting machines, which are manufactured and used in India and the setting up of polling stations outside Namibia so that expatriates can vote at Namibian embassies.
The bill will further provided for the counting of votes at polling stations, a concern that had been repeatedly raised by opposition parties.
According to Ekandjo's brief description of the bill he will table today, new clauses will be introduced so that information must be published prior to the registration of a political party.
MPs were informed last week that the winter session of the National Assembly, which was supposed to end this week, would be extended to July 23 to allow for debate and the passing of the long overdue bill by that date.
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