Thread: Talking about justice in Namibia

This order can only be welcome and is a reflection of the fact that our judiciary - or at least parts of it - is prepared to take a stand. But let's not use this order alone to gauge whether justice itself is alive and well in our Republic. The fact is that the Electoral Commission of Namibia has in previous cases shown blatant disregard for the due process of the law.

I think we should wait and see what transpires. I for one don't think the Electoral Commission of Namibia or its chairman have a very strong sense of their obligations to fulfil the letter AND the spirit of our Republic's electoral laws, in an IMPARTIAL, FAIR, TRANSPARENT, OPEN manner. They - the top management hierarchy, not its footsoldiers - seem to always work to the lowest possible legal bar and moral denominator.

Look - running an organisation like the ECN, and organising elections is not an easy task, but it's made even more difficult if the institution(s) organising elections lose the trust and confidence of parts of society, and political parties. The ECN should never ever have become the story. The story should have been free, transparent, fair, open elections with a result that is accepted, respected and honoured by all involved - is that asking too much? It's possible in other nations, why not ours? Is the ECN actually too politicised to be an honest broker in the process? I sometimes have the strong feeling that it needs to be reformed, and needs a new chairman. Of course it also means that the opposition parties step to the plate and drop spurious claims that won't stand either in a court of law.

But I say this because the recent case involving the NSHR illustrated how easy it is to side-step, if not disrespect and disregard our courts, even where the court in this instance issued a very clear order to the ECN to allow the NSHR to act as election observers. I think the NSHR got away with impunity in that particular case, and I am not too confident that they won't get away will all sorts of machinations once again. But I may be completely wrong, and I'm open to be convinced otherwise.

Breaking News!
No matter how far we criticise the ECN, now one wonder why the political parties were represented during the whole process? yesterday some opposition elements wanted to run away with the materials, what a shame/ where is the genuine of the so called opposition? it seems they are up to something, but shame enough , Namibian have spoken and shown the world at large who they want to govern them, either we like it or not nothing can reverse the cause of justice and "the Deveil Never Be Come and Engel"

"The justice system in Namibia is here to stay" the independence of judiciary had proven it, we as Namibian are proud of being among the best democracy in Africa, however there is always something disturbing, and that is those so called intellectuals and Neo Capitalist are trying in all means to mislead the public, the issue of the ECN is a good example, now who can tell me who is the best person to run the ECN as Director in this country? We are all hypocrisy, yesteryear you were the Director of election and today you are a lawyer representing opposition challenging the ECN? Why? Is it because you are no longer a Director or is there real an issue which you detected before and could not sort it out? It is a shame that Namibian sometimes we are not appreciate what others did if they don't suit our desire, which is a pit so to say.
One wonder even to read some praise the Apartheid, what is a shame on earth, apartheid is buried once and for ever, either you were in Cassipar by the then time forget , Namibia is free for ever and the majority of this beautiful country will defend if vigorously from any intruder.
Those So called organized Opposition to steal the electoral material we say shame on them. Time and time again we salute our men in uniform they are there to make sure that everything goes smoothly we salute I.G. Ndeitunga and his team, we say Job well done to arrest the culprit!

The Board of the Legal Assistance Centre announces the appointment of Toni Hancox as the new Director of the Legal Assistance Centre. This is after an extensive recruitment process which commenced in September 2009.

Toni Hancox has been with the Legal Assistance Centre since 2000. She obtained her law degrees, which she studied on a part-time basis through the UNISA, whilst working as a secretary at P F Koep Attorneys in 1996. She then joined the Government Attorneys and thereafter she was admitted as a lawyer in the United Kingdom in 1999. She returned to Namibia in 2000 when she was appointed as a lawyer at the LAC. She is currently also serving on the Council of the Law Society of Namibia and of the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association.

The current Director, Norman Tjombe will step down as Director at end of February 2010 and Toni will commence her duties as Director from 1 March 2010.

Norman, who has been with the LAC since November 1991 in various capacities starting as a driver, paralegal, student intern, lawyer, manager and then appointed as the Director in May 2004, has now been appointed to the Board of the LAC as from 1 March 2010. He studied law at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa with a scholarship from the Legal Assistance Centre. He will now take up private law practice.

The Board trusts that you will give the necessary support to Toni as she starts in her new capacity.

The Board and staff also express their appreciation to Norman for his commitment to human rights and the work of the LAC for all the years he has been with the LAC. We are also grateful that Norman has agreed to serve on the Board of the LAC, and thus continue his association with the LAC.

ADV DAVE SMUTS, SC
CHAIRPERSON
THE BOARD OF THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE CENTRE

First of let me just state that from my understanding of it the case was not even infact clear. It is my belief that when you are in such an important case you take note of the little details. The opposition did not, cause they were looking so hard that they did not clearly reason it out. As simple as that.