Ballot boxes 'got wet'

2005-03-15 20:09

Windhoek - A recount of ballots cast in Namibia's parliamentary elections hit a snag on Tuesday when voting slips from 40 boxes were found soaked in water and opposition parties complained of discrepancies in the recounting.

The recount of ballot papers started on Sunday, after two opposition parties won a court ruling to have the approximately 830 000 ballots cast in the November 15 and 16 elections verified.

Electoral Commission chair Victor Tonchi said that 40 ballot boxes "had got wet" when brought to the counting centre in Windhoek, and that the soaked voting slips were stuck together, making it difficult to examine them.

"The police are doing a forensic investigation and we await their report to see what decisions must be taken," Tonchi told reporters.

"We are in the third day of counting and so far recounts of 40 out of the 108 constituencies were completed," Tonchi said.

"This leaves 68 constituencies to be counted, but we believe counting will be completed by Wednesday as expected," he said.

Under the court order, the recount must be completed by Sunday, just one day ahead of the March 21 inauguration of president-elect Hifikepunye Pohamba, who will take over from veteran leader Sam Nujoma.

Opposition parties raised concerns of irregularities in the recount.

"So far the recounting has shown quite a lot of discrepancies and fewer votes in many ballot boxes so far than shown on the official return forms completed late November," said Henk Mudge, president of the Republican Party.

"We will definitely take further action if we are not happy with the results," he said.

Nujoma's ruling South West Africa People's Organisation (Swapo) won 75.1% of the vote in the elections in the southern African country, its third victory since Namibia's independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.

- AFP