Thread: So how are the people who run the elections in Namibia appointed?

ECN was established by an Act of Parliament (Electoral Act No. 24 of 1992) to supervise and conduct all electoral activities in Namibia: voter registration, registration of parties, nomination of candidates, the organisation and administration of elections and the announcement of election results. In addition to these stipulated activities, the ECN is responsible for voter education and information.

Prior to 2000, the ECN operated under the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) through the Directorate of Elections, a Secretariat of the Commission. In April 2000, the Directorate of Elections delinked from the OPM and became a department of the Commission. Pursuant to an amendment of the Electoral Act of 1992, the Commission was established as a semiautonomous body with its own administration and budget. Although the ECN functions as a government ministry, it enjoys absolute autonomy and independence in organising and managing elections.

The ECN's role in the ESC includes voter education and overall co-ordination of the campaign.

Mandated to deliver free, fair and credible elections, the ECN aims to address the dire need for comprehensive voter education with special emphasis on prerequisite electoral information for the systematic and comprehensive registration of voters in preparation for future elections in Namibia. Section 13 of the Electoral Act (Act 24 of 1992) stipulates that the ECN must conduct general voters registration after every 10 years.

Via an intensive national voter and voter registration campaign utilising mass media, and voter educators, the ECN will aim to:

• Cultivate a culture of human rights, national reconciliation, political tolerance and participation in governance and electoral processes;
• Promote sound understanding of the process
• Mobilise resources for the conduct of the 2003 General Voters Registration.

The objectives of the ECN campaign include:

• Producing a credible voters register for national and local authorities elections;
• Delivering free, fair and credible elections;
• Increasing participation in national discourse of a political and social nature


Funding

The funding of the ECN is made from "funds appropriated by law for that purpose" (Electoral Act 24 1992). This presumably means a parliamentary appropriation.

The Electoral Commission of Namibia is established by the Electoral Act 24 of 1992 (Electoral Act 24 1992, 3-12). The amendment of 1998 was particularly important since it took significant steps to secure the independence of the ECN from the Executive, for the appointment of the ECN is no longer the simple prerogative of the President. Moreover, the Director of Elections was firmly subordinated to the ECN.
Composition

The Electoral Commission consists of a Chairperson and four Commissioners. The members of the ECN are appointed by the President from a shortlist compiled by a Selection Committee which consists of a judge nominated by the Chief Justice, a lawyer nominated by the Law Society and a nominee of the Ombudsman. Members of the ECN may lose their positions for incapacity or may be removed by the President for misconduct, with the approval of a resolution of the National Assembly (Electoral Act 24 1992, 5(1),(12), (21)).
Term of Office

Commissioners are appointed for five years, but may be be reappointed for further five year terms (Electoral Act 24 1992, 6).
Functions

The ECN has the following functions (Electoral Act 24 1992, 4(2)):

* To direct, control and supervise elections fairly and impartially.
* To register voters.
* To compile and publish voters rolls.
* To register political parties.

While the ECN has no explicit mandate engage in civic aand voter education, the ECN has interpreted its mandate to register voters as including these aspects (ECN undateda). Thus the ECN (undateda) said that the registration campaign for 2003 would utilise "mass media, and voter educators" to "[c]ultivate a culture of human rights, national reconciliation, political tolerance and participation in governance and electoral processes" and "[p]romote sound understanding of the process".

The ECN is not tasked with hearing electoral complaints or disputes, such functions being reserved for the High Court (Electoral Act 24 1992, 109).
Commissioners

The following are members of the ECN (ECN undatedb):

* Victor L Tonchi (Chairperson)
* Notemba Tjipueja
* Shafimana F Ueitele
* Andrew Nghidinwa
* Salmaan D Jacobs

Directorate of Elections

The Directorate of Elections functions as the secretariat of the ECN. The Directorate is headed by a Director of Elections, currently Philemon H Kanime, who is appointed by the President on the recommendation of the ECN (Electoral Act 24 1992, 11; ECN undatedb). The Director functions as the secretary and executive arm of the ECN (Electoral Act 24 1992, 11(1)).

THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM AND ITS IMPACT ON GENDER

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) supervises national, regional
and local elections including the registration of voters and political parties,
implementing a code of conduct and assuring equality for all political
parties. The Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing
(MRLG&H) supports political parties and trains candidates for local elections.
The Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare (MWACW) is responsible
for promoting women in the election process, while the Ministry of
Information and Broadcasting (MIB), primarily through the Namibian
Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), facilitates the election process by
disseminating information on election and constituent rights, providing
information through its regional offices and assisting in voter registration.
In addition to government initiatives to promote information dissemination
on elections and voter education, the Electoral Support Consortium (ESC)


I trust this helps.

The ECN consists of five members appointed by the President. Any person can apply to be a member of the Commission after advertisements have been placed in the Government Gazette and several newspapers.

A selection committee then meets and chooses at least ten of the applicants for interview. The selection committee consists of a staff member of the Supreme Court or of the High Court nominated by the Chief Justice; a legal practitioner nominated by the Law Society of Namibia; and a staff member of the Ombudsman’s office nominated by the Ombudsman.

The interviews conducted by the election committee are open to the public. Having completed the interviews the Selection Committee recommends in writing to the President not less than eight suitable candidates. The President then chooses five of them to server as Commissioners. A member of the ECN holds office for five years.

The Directorate of Elections is established as a division of the ECN. The President, on the recommendation of the Commission, appoints the Director of Elections. After the post has been advertised, the ECN selects five candidates for interview. The names of the best two candidates are forwarded to the President, who then chooses the Director from those candidates.

The Directorate of Elections has a new head.

Moses Ndjarakana, who has acted as the Director of Elections since the suspension of Philemon Kanime in April 2008, was confirmed in the position after President Hifikepunye Pohamba appointed him.

Ndjarakana was one of five shortlisted candidates.


Ndjarakana's appointment is effective from August 1, 2008.


He takes over from Kanime, who was placed on "special leave" since April after controversy erupted around the Omuthiya local authority election.