Amupanda threatens court action against Parliament over ECN appointments

By: Staff Reporter

Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Shipululo Amupanda has threatened to launch an urgent application in the High Court to stop the National Assembly from approving the appointment of Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson Gerson Sindano.

The move comes ahead of the parliamentary session scheduled for 8 to 10 July, during which the parliament is expected to vote on President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s appointment of Sindano and commissioners Emmerentia Leonard and Julieta Ferreira.

Amupanda, through his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo, wrote to Speaker of the National Assembly Sara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Wednesday, demanding immediate deferment of vote approval of the chairperson and commissioners of the ECN.

“We have been asking for records on the rumour that the p[resident has nominated Dr. Gerson Sindano as Chairperson of ECN for nine months, when the Constitution says five years,” reads the letter.

Amupanda said Parliament has refused to provide documents used during the selection process.

“They are refusing to give us the records of scoresheets and interview minutes. We gave the Speaker until 12h00 (8 June) to either produce the records including the nomination by the President under her signature or make an undertaking that they will not proceed with their illegal and unconstitutional things,” he said.

The legal threat comes after Swapo parliamentarian Pohamba Shifeta recently tabled a motion in the National Assembly to consider and approve Sindano’s appointment.

“They refused and continued to use their Swapo majority to violate the Constitution,” he said.

Parliament resumed debate on the nomination on Tuesday, with some opposition opposing the appointment.

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