(Bloomberg) -- Namibia extended voting in presidential and parliamentary elections by two days in some areas that were impacted by procedural delays.
The Electoral Commission’s decision to recommend an extension to President Nangolo Mbumba was in line with its obligation to give all registered voters the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights, and took into consideration complaints about the process, Elsie Nghikembua, the panel’s chairperson, said in a statement Thursday evening.
Shortages of ballot papers, mobile teams failing to reach polling stations on time and malfunctioning voter verification devices resulted in some people being unable to cast their ballots before the official cut-off time at 9 p.m. local time on Nov. 27.
The vote count is under way in areas that weren’t impacted by the extension. The electoral commission called on the citizens to remain calm and exercise patience until the process had been completed, and emphasized its commitment to fairness and transparency.
The South West Africa People’s Organisation aims to maintain its almost 35-year stranglehold on power, but could face a potential backlash over high levels of unemployment, graft and inequality. Its flagbearer is Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, currently the deputy president, who stands to become Namibia’s first female leader if she wins.
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