Voting in the Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency by-election got off to a slow start Monday morning.

Providing an update on the by-election to the media on Monday, Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager, De Wet Siluka said voters only started arriving at the various polling stations later in the day.

Siluka said all polling stations opened at 07h00 and no challenges had been reported by midday.

The ECN set up six fixed polling stations at Aroab and Koës and in Krönlein in Keetmanshoop, while other villages and settlements were being served by six mobile teams.

The by-election was necessitated by the expulsion of constituency councillor Gerrit Witbooi from the Landless People’s Movement (LPM).

The ECN registered 6 675 eligible voters during the supplementary voter registration for the by-election.

LPM, Swapo, the Popular Democratic Movement and the Independent Patriots for Change are contesting the by-election.

The elections are taking place amid allegations by LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi that the ECN and Swapo party registered 120 new voters who were not part of the supplementary voter registration.

The ECN’s Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer, Theo Mujoro, on Sunday however dismissed the allegations.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency