Presidential election challenge dates to be determined in February

WINDHOEK, 09 JAN (NAMPA) - Supreme Court Judge Hosea Angula has postponed a matter in which the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) is challenging the outcome of the 2024 presidential elections.
Angula has informed the IPC and the respondents that the matter will return to court for a status hearing on the allocation of dates on 03 February 2025.
Namibians cast their votes from 27 November to 30 November 2024 after the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) extended voting due to alleged irregularities, such as a shortage of ballot papers at polling stations.
The IPC, represented by Dirk Conradie, wants the Supreme Court to declare the 2024 presidential election outcome invalid and unlawful. The party further wants the outcome declared a breach of Namibia’s constitution. The party also wants the court to order fresh presidential elections in accordance with Namibia's Constitution and the Electoral Act of 2014.
In addition to the Supreme Court application, the party has a pending challenge in the electoral court, in which they are challenging the 2024 National Assembly elections results. The matter is before Judge Hannelie Prinsloo and will be heard on 15 January 2025.
“The return and outcome of the impugned election are replete with grave illegalities of the worst kind, and in fact amounted to disenfranchisement of eligible voters. The count for the impugned election was not taken immediately after the close of the polls at 21h00 on 27 November 2024 as required by Part 5 of the Act,” IPC President Panduleni Itula said in his affidavit.
Itula insists in court papers that the election “was flawed on a range of levels, and was outright constitutionally offensive.”
He further argued that the number of persons who voted after 27 November 2024 is unknown.
Respondents in the matter, including President Nangolo Mbumba, the ECN and its Chief Electoral Officer Peter Shaama, as well as other political parties, have been ordered to file their heads of argument by 31 January 2025.
(NAMPA)
EB/AS