Kamanjab: The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has announced the names of candidates set to contest the by-elections of the Kamanjab and Sesfontein constituencies on 17 June 2025, with a total of seven candidates vetted and approved.
According to NAMPA, ECN Kunene Regional Electoral Officer Mike Nganjone informed that three candidates have been successfully registered to compete in the by-elections for the Kamanjab Constituency. Four other candidates who have shown interest in the by-elections will be running for the Sesfontein Constituency.
Nganjone specified that the three candidates for the Kamanjab Constituency are Independent Patriots for Change candidate (IPC) Dansiekie Ganaseb, Nikodemus Amutenya of the Swapo Party, and Jacobus Buruxa Namaseb of the United Democratic Front (UDF).
In the Sesfontein Constituency, the candidates include Titus Uaundjua Rungondo for the Swapo Party, Bennie Ganaseb for IPC, Bernadus Uitani Hoeb for UDF, and Joshua Vemuii Kaisuma representing the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM).
Nganjone stated that the commission did not receive applications from independent candidates in both constituencies.
ECN Voter Education Officer Santos Muhenje confirmed that the civic and voter education initiative is still in progress. 'Teams are scheduled to visit both constituencies on 13 May 2025, focusing primarily on engaging new and old voters,' he said.
Muhenje said their goal is to ensure that all constituents understand their rights and the political system, as well as how and where to vote. They will also provide impartial and objective information to help voters exercise their right to vote effectively.
'We have three teams, with two of those covering Sesfontein, while one team will go to Kamanjab. This process will run concurrently with the voting process so we will only conclude after the voting process is done,' said Muhenje.
The by-elections in both constituencies were necessitated by the appointments of UDF councillors Nico Somaeb (Kamanjab) and Hedrick Gaobaeb (Sesfontein) to the National Assembly in March of this year.