Also known as: ECN
Electoral Commission of Namibia — independent body governing parliamentary funding and electoral processes, currently led by newly appointed chairperson Gerson Sindano as of September 2026.
News reports
Order a long-term news report on Electoral Commission of Namibia
Every mention in the Namibian press over the period you choose, compiled as a PDF or Word document.
Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.
Informanté
The ECN had resolved to revive the Electoral Amendment Bill drafted after stakeholder engagements held between 2022 and 2023
“Nghikembua said that the ECN had resolved to revive the Electoral Amendment Bill drafted after stakeholder engagements held between 2022 and 2023 in order to undertake a comprehensive review of the Act.”
ECN launches post-election review, invites public input on Electoral Act reformsNew Era
Electoral Commission of Namibia is included in Vision April 2026 healthcare initiative
“This initiative also encompasses senior officials from various government departments and agencies, such as the National Planning Commission, the Electoral Commission of Namibia, the Namibian Police Force and the Namibian Defence Force.”
Vision April 2026 to revolutionise public healthcareNew Era
Electoral Commission of Namibia advised that Kooper had not been gazetted and could not be sworn in
“But attempts to have Kooper sworn in as a replacement for Fillemon were blocked by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), which advised that Kooper had not been gazetted and could therefore not be sworn in to represent the movement on the municipal council.”
Sankwasa nullifies swearing-in at GobabisThe Namibian
Electoral Commission of Namibia had allocated N$1.6 million for legal fees, labelled a waste of resources
“The allocation of N$1.6 million for the Electoral Commission of Namibia's legal fees has been labelled a waste of resources.”
Budget allocation of N$1.6 million for ECN’s legal fees questionedThe Namibian
Electoral Commission of Namibia deregistered NEFF
“The NEFF was deregistered after it allegedly failed to publish its financial reports as required in the Electoral Act.”
NEFF sues ECN for N$6.7m over unlawful deregistrationThe Namibian
Electoral Commission of Namibia will receive N$181 million for 2026/27 period
“The Electoral Commission of Namibia will receive N$181 million for the 2026/27 period.”
2026/27 key budget take awaysThe Namibian
Electoral Commission of Namibia spent N$16.33 million on five by-elections in 2025/26 financial year
“The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) spent N$16.33 million on five by-elections in the Otjozondjupa, Kunene and Zambezi regions during the 2025/26 financial year.”
ECN spends over N$16m on five by-electionsThe Namibian
Electoral Commission of Namibia issued directive confirming Von Watzdorf duly elected and should be sworn in on 5 December 2025
“Additionally, the petition highlights the failure to swear in Von Watzdorf as a council member, despite a directive issued by the Electoral Commission of Namibia on 4 December 2025 confirming that he was duly elected and should have been sworn in on 5 December 2025.”
Mariental residents petition mayor over municipalityInformanté
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) issued a statement clarifying the payments of election officials employed during regional councils and local authorities elections
“THE Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has issued a statement clarifying the payments of election officials who were employed and deployed during last year's regional councils and local authorities elections.”
ECN clarifies the payments of 2025 election officialsInformanté
The ECN began processing the attendance registers for election officials on 01 December 2025
“To ensure timely payments, the Commission began processing the attendance registers for election officials on 01 December 2025.”
ECN clarifies the payments of 2025 election officialsA Swapo parliamentarian challenged the Independent Patriots for Change to account for how it uses public funding to address socioeconomic challenges. The IPC's leader responded that parliamentary funding is intended to support democratic participation, not development projects, and is governed by Electoral Commission guidelines.
15 October 2026 · The Namibian →
A Swapo parliamentarian challenged the Independent Patriots for Change to account for how it uses public funding to address socioeconomic challenges. The IPC's leader responded that parliamentary funding is intended to support democratic participation, not development projects, and is governed by Electoral Commission guidelines.
15 October 2026 · The Namibian →
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah praised the late former Chief Justice Gert Johannes Cornelius Strydom for helping build an independent judiciary and strengthen Namibia's constitutional institutions during the formative years of independence. Strydom's contributions to the administration of justice and upholding of the rule of law shaped the country's legal system, with speakers at his State funeral on Friday honouring his lasting legacy.
12 October 2026 · New Era →
Former Chief Justice Johan Strydom, who died on 25 September 2026 at age 88, was honoured at a valedictory court session for his role in establishing post-independence judicial principles of dignity, equality, access to justice, and administrative fairness during his nearly four-decade career.
1 October 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Newly appointed Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson Gerson Sindano says the ECN is working on electoral amendment bills to address challenges from previous elections, with plans to consult political parties and stakeholders before taking the bills to Parliament.
24 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Affirmative Repositioning Movement objected to the appointment of Gerson Sindano as Electoral Commission chairperson on procedural grounds, demanding access to the Selection Committee report, interview scores, and other documents to test the transparency required by the Electoral Act. The party's challenge signals a shift toward demanding legal accountability and checks and balances rather than accepting presidential nominations without scrutiny.
22 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Gerson Sindano was sworn in as chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, alongside newly appointed commission members Julieta Ferreira and Emmerentia Leonard, at the High Court in Windhoek on Wednesday.
17 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Electoral Commission of Namibia swore in Chairperson Dr Gerson Sindano and newly appointed members Julieta Diva Ferreira and Dr Emmerentia Leonard at the High Court on 16 September 2026.
16 September 2026 · Informanté →
The Republican Party supports Gerson Sindano's appointment to lead the Electoral Commission of Namibia, saying political disagreements should not block the appointment and that Sindano's performance should be judged on his conduct, integrity and competence. RP chief whip Mathias Mbundu said political parties have the right to support or oppose parliamentary motions and cautioned against unsubstantiated claims of vote-trading.
14 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The Central Procurement Board of Namibia cancelled a competitive tender for a veterinary cordon fence to combat foot-and-mouth disease two weeks after awarding it, then hand-picked the second-place bidder a week later. The Namibian editorial warns that such abrupt cancellations undermine transparency, expose the state to costly litigation, and raise questions about accountability in government procurement.
13 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Six former Members of Parliament have sued the Popular Democratic Movement, National Assembly and Electoral Commission of Namibia, claiming N$1.5 million each in lost salaries, allowances and other benefits after they were allegedly unlawfully excluded from Parliament in 2020. The group, known as PDM6, argues they were duly nominated and elected to the National Assembly but were subsequently removed.
11 September 2026 · New Era →
The United Democratic Front has defended its decision to support Gerson Sindano's nomination as Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson, citing nation-building and Sindano's experience, despite backlash and boycotts from other opposition parties. UDF vice president Nico Somaeb says the party is an alternative to Swapo and should not be bound by opposition party alignment on institutional decisions.
10 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Affirmative Repositioning (AR) will approach the High Court to challenge the recommendation and approval of Gerson Sindano as ECN chairperson, accusing Swapo and UDF of violating the Constitution and Electoral Act. AR objects to the appointment process, citing denial of access to records by AR MPs while another MP received unrestricted access, and argues Sindano's nine-month term contradicts the Constitution's prescribed five-year term.
10 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Parliament has approved the appointment of Gerson Sindano as chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia after opposition MPs walked out. Swapo's 48 members and one vote from UDF deputy president Nico Somaeb secured the appointment despite walkouts by opposition parties including the IPC, LPM, AR, NEFF, Nudo, NDP, and PDM.
10 September 2026 · New Era →
An opinion piece argues that the National Assembly's approval of Dr Gerson Sindano as Electoral Commission chairperson reflects parliamentary dysfunction, with opposition MPs walking out and 49 members voting in favour, raising questions about public confidence in the institution rather than Sindano's qualifications.
9 September 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The National Assembly approved Gerson Sindano's nomination as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, with members from Swapo and the United Democratic Front voting in favour. Opposition parliamentarians from the IPC, AR, LPM, and NEFF walked out during the election process, leaving 49 parliamentarians present to vote.
9 September 2026 · Informanté →
The Independent Patriots for Change defended its walkout from the National Assembly, saying it aims to block decisions the party disagrees with—specifically the proposed appointment of Gerson Sindano as Electoral Commission chairperson. Mouton argued that Sindano's reported ties to Swapo compromise the ECN's independence, and that the opposition's increased representation enables it to withhold the 49-member quorum needed for voting.
8 September 2026 · The Namibian →
Opposition MPs walked out of the National Assembly on Tuesday during a vote on three nominees to the Electoral Commission of Namibia, stalling the appointment process.
3 September 2026 · Namibian Sun →
Information and communication technology minister Emma Theofelus called for MPs who walked out of the National Assembly on Tuesday to be held accountable, saying such conduct undermines parliament's work and wastes the assembly's time. Opposition MPs walked out during voting on the Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson nomination, stalling the vote due to lack of quorum.
2 September 2026 · The Namibian →
The National Assembly failed to reach the required 49-vote quorum to decide on Gerson Sindano's nomination as Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson, with only 45 MPs supporting the motion on Tuesday. Opposition MPs walked out of the chamber in protest, with disagreement over whether this constitutes a genuine absence of quorum or a deliberate obstruction of the voting process.
1 September 2026 · The Namibian →
An editorial argues that while Namibia has achieved political progress since independence, economic inequality remains stark, with a small elite controlling disproportionate wealth while many citizens face poverty and unemployment. The piece contends that genuine national development requires an economy that improves living standards for all citizens, especially the historically excluded, consistent with Article 95 of the Constitution.
30 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Namibia's Independent Patriots for Change has congratulated Zambia's re-elected president Hakainde Hichilema while urging full transparency in election management and raising concerns over ballot secrecy and incomplete reconciliation at polling stations.
19 August 2026 · The Namibian →
Job Amupanda, leader of the Affirmative Repositioning movement, has withdrawn his court application seeking disclosure of documents related to the nomination of the Electoral Commission of Namibia's Chairperson and Commissioners by the President. Amupanda had argued that Parliament could not meaningfully assess the nominees without access to records of the selection process, including interview minutes and candidate scoresheets.
18 August 2026 · Informanté →
Vasilije Boskovic, a Yugoslav engineer who supported Namibian liberation movements from the 1960s onwards and later settled in Namibia, has died on 4 July. His relationship with Namibia began in 1961 when he met Sam Nujoma and worked under Yugoslav President Josip Tito to assist liberation movements, facilitating training and support for Namibian students and PLAN combatants in Yugoslavia.
21 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Opposition parties oppose Gerson Sindano's nomination to chair the Electoral Commission of Namibia, citing his past role as personal assistant to a Swapo official and his current Swapo membership as undermining the commission's independence ahead of the 2030 elections. The National Democratic Party president says he would only support Sindano if he publicly renounced his Swapo membership.
15 July 2026 · The Namibian →
MP Job Amupanda welcomed the High Court's judgment in his case against the Speaker of the National Assembly and others, saying the ruling declined to grant an interdict but affirmed his position that ECN commissioner appointments must comply with constitutional transparency and accountability principles. Amupanda had sought to stop Parliament from approving ECN nominees until key selection process documents were disclosed.
15 July 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
The Landless People's Movement has nominated Kalan Goliath to fill the vacant Keetmanshoop municipal seat left by former mayor Melody Swartbooi, who was recalled by the party in June. Goliath's appointment is awaiting completion of statutory procedures including gazetting and ministerial approval.
14 July 2026 · The Namibian →
An opinion piece in The Namibian criticizes the Electoral Commission of Namibia's endorsement of Gerson Sindano, a University of Namibia senior lecturer in language development, to replace Elsie Nghikembua as chairperson, arguing that his appointment is unsuitable given the ECN's history of logistical failures including ballot paper shortages and communication breakdowns.
12 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Several opposition parties are refusing to approve Gerson Sindano's appointment as Electoral Commission of Namibia chairperson until parliament provides all documentation on his nomination, including interview minutes and selection committee recommendations. Opposition leaders also raised concerns that Sindano's previous role as a personal assistant to Swapo's secretary general could undermine the commission's independence.
11 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Members of parliament will continue carrying out oversight visits and constituency engagements during the National Assembly recess from 10 July to 1 September, according to National Assembly spokesperson Sacky Kadhikwa, who clarified that the recess should not be interpreted as a break from parliamentary duties. The third session approved Bryan Eiseb's nomination as director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission, while appointments to the Electoral Commission remained unresolved.
10 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Independent Patriots for Change leader Panduleni Itula has threatened legal action against the president's appointment of Electoral Commission of Namibia commissioners, arguing the process is unconstitutional because the president nominated rather than appointed candidates as required under Article 94B of the Constitution. Itula also raised concerns about incomplete documentation, including missing sworn declarations on political affiliations and unclear term duration for ECN chairperson Gerson Sindano.
10 July 2026 · The Namibian →