Kavekotora: EVM’s not trustworthy

WINDHOEK, 22 JUN  – Attorney General (AG) Albert Kawana has dismissed claims that Swapo has been rigging elections since 1990, stating that the party believes in credible, free and fair elections.
Kawana made these remarks in the National Assembly on Wednesday, in response to a motion by Rally for Democracy and Progress Secretary General (SG) Mike Kavekotora.
In his motion, Kavekotora raised concern on the relevance of the Indian-made Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the country’s future presidential, national, regional and local authority elections.
He then took on the ruling party, accusing it of having introduced the device as a method to rig elections without risking embarrassment in the courts of law.
“It is inconceivable that the Electoral Commission of Namibia and its backers (Swapo) in this matter have chosen to behave as if the new Electoral Act does not make provision for manual voting,” he said.
Kavekotora thus called on the commission to revert back to the traditional voting method as provided for by the Act.
“These machines are unreliable, untrustworthy and not secure and in actual fact slowed down the voting and the counting process and the release of election results in Namibia,” he lashed.
Failure by Swapo to use EVMs to decide their own congress in 2017 is further testament that even the ruling party has no trust in the devices, he continued.
The RDP SG’s remarks were however shut down by the AG, who said Swapo is ready for any election mode, even if it means reverting back to the traditional ballot voting system.
He made clear that the ECN is an autonomous entity, which Swapo has no control over.
“We have nothing to hide. Whatever mode of elections, if it is free, fair and credible, we are ready,” said the Swapo Parliamentarian.
Due to the sensitivity of elections and the negative repercussions they may have on any country, Kawana said political parties must sit under one roof and put the issue to bed once and for all.
On her part, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, described Kavekotora’s remarks as inaccurate and detrimental to Namibia.
She said it was never Swapo’s initiative to introduce the EVMs and that the party never imposed such on ECN.
“We cannot continue with the machines if we all don’t feel comfortable with them,” she said.
(NAMPA)