Staff Reporter
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) arrived in Windhoek on Thursday, 14 November 2024, for Refresher Pre-Deployment Training in anticipation of the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections.
“The Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, Her Excellency Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, constituted SEOM deployment to the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Namibia and appointed Honourable Anne Semamba Makinda, Former Speaker of the Parliament of the United Republic of Tanzania, as the Head of Mission. The SADC Organ Chairperson also mandated the SADC Secretariat, led by His Excellency Mr Elias Mpedi Magosi, SADC Executive Secretary, to coordinate the deployment of SEOM, including the facilitation of in-country deployment of election observers,” the SADC Secretariat explained.
The SADC Secretariat further highlighted that SEOM will consult a broad range of electoral stakeholders to gain a deeper understanding of the legal and constitutional framework governing the elections and to assess whether the political and security environment is conducive to free, fair, transparent, credible, and peaceful elections in line with the revised SADC Principles and Guidelines.
SEOM’s mission will also examine the readiness of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to conduct the elections and review the delimitation of electoral boundaries to ensure it meets stakeholders’ expectations and complies with the law.
“The SEOM will observe the country’s pre-election phase, polling day, and post-election processes with the objective of assessing the conduct of the elections in accordance with the Principles and Guidelines, which promote the holding of regular, free, fair, transparent, credible, and peaceful democratic elections,” the SADC Secretariat added.