SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) to the Republic of Namibia
Media Release
21 November 2014
Following the proclamation of the date for the 2014 Presidential and National Assembly elections and the subsequent invitation by the Electoral Commission of Namibia to the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation His Excellency Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma President of the Republic of South Africa. H.E Zuma mandated the SADC Executive Secretary, Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, to constitute the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM) to the Republic of Namibia.
To this end, the SADC Electoral Observation Mission (SEOM) has arrived in Windhoek, Namibia in line with the provisions of the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections.
Prior to deployment of the SEOM, a pre-deployment assessment mission was undertaken by the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) to ascertain the readiness and preparedness of the country in holding the elections.
Based on the foregoing, the SEOM was launched on 10 November 2014, by the Honourable Maite Nkoana-Mashabane (MP), Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa and Head of SEOM to the Republic of Namibia.
To date, the SEOM has deployed 95 observers constituted into 23 teams in all the 14 regions of Namibia.
In accordance with the mission’s Terms of Reference, being the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, the observers will interact with various stakeholders and electorate in the places of deployment for fact finding purposes. The SEOM takes great interest in the elections in Namibia as the first country in the region to utilize the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM's).
SADC is mindful of the fact that the responsibility to hold peaceful, free and fair elections in the Republic of Namibia lies with the people of Namibia.
SADC would like to take this opportunity to encourage the people of the Republic of Namibia to continue to demonstrate political maturity by respecting democratic principles and practices during the 28 November 2014 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
Hon. Luwellyn Landers MP,
Deputy Head of SEOM and Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation South Africa
Windhoek,
Republic of Namibia
21 November 2014
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