Namibia to hold presidential, national assembly polls in November

Namibia will hold presidential and national assembly elections on November 27, Minister of Urban and Rural Development Erastus Uutoni said Thursday.

Speaking during the launch of the 2024 Electoral Calendar and Democracy Awareness Campaign, Uutoni highlighted concerns over low voter turnout witnessed during past elections, urging for heightened civic and voter education to encourage participation in the democratic process.

"The low turnout of voters during polling is a major concern, with only 60.8 percent of registered voters turning up to cast their votes during the 2019 presidential and national assembly elections," he said.

The Democracy Awareness Campaign, themed "Enhancing Electoral Democracy through Electoral Processes", will focus on raising awareness about the significance of participating in elections and voting as well as fostering a sense of civic duty and engagement among citizens while emphasizing the importance of voter registration.

Other key dates include the nomination of candidates on October 14 for independent candidates and October 16 for political parties and a public sitting, as well as voting abroad, and voting for sea-going personnel and members of the armed forces on November 13.

Namibia, in addition to four other SADC countries -- South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius and Mozambique -- will be holding presidential and national assembly elections this year.