Do you realize what it means if you have missed out on the voters' registration process? During colonial times, some citizens in some countries were denied their democratic right to vote. But today that some countries are independent, some citizens seem to ignore the very democratic right that was amongst others fought for to liberate their countries? How do you understand that?

Namibia's Voters' Registration Process, end on 02 March 2014. This process was part of the requirement to re-register all eligible voters after every 10 years and to prepare Namibians for the upcoming Presidential and National Elections in November this year.

There will be a supplementary registration process especially for the regtional and local authority elections in due course.

The reason why I am writing this note if point out the gist of being an eligible voter and the impact of failing to be one. As a law abiding and patriotic citizen, it becomes obvious for any eligible voter, at least who is 18 years and older to have heeded the call to do so.

Firstly, the registration process provides new type of documentation - a credit card type of the voter's eligibility, the first of its kind, computerized and bar-coded for that matter. Secondly, this type of document is the license for each an every Namibia to elect leaders of her or his choice. It is a person's voice when it comes to electing leaders to politically manage the country. This means that if you have not been registered for that particular election, you will not vote and therefore have no legal say through voting to put any leader in office. In colonial times, citizens of some countries were deprived of this critical right - preventing people to exercise their democractic right. And today, while this right was part and parcel of why many countries fought to liberate them, is not taken that seriously by many - probably because of various reasons - including ignorance. Many people out there in the world have become refugees due to wars, natural disasters, political assylum etc - and can only wish to be in their countries, exercising this particular democratic right, while many in the countries like Namibia who have it seem to be caring less about it. I am not sure if this is a contradiction, but yeah, I am yet to understand it fully why the same right that was fought for seems to be taken lightly by some today.

By last week, Namibia was said to have registered slightly over half of the population of 2.1 people...mmmm, where is the other half or at least a quarter of the other half? Where are they? Why didn't the register? I just wish we could know some of the reasons why some might not have made it to the registration points or the challenges that might have prevented them from doing so.

I am therefore hoping that many of us Namibians have really made use of the opportunity which was granted to all from 15 January to 02 March 2014 to ensure that we register in order to be counted in this democratic process.

Well, one might not realize right away as to what impact one's actions of not taking part in elections could mean... I am aware that some of our citizens have raised concerns that daily challenges which include unemployment, poverty etc might have caused them to dispair - but I will tell them that, yes, those are some of the realities of developing a country - meaning that it will take time to overcome most of those problems - however, that does still not warrant a person to stay away from processes such as democratic elections. Instead such processes could be options to improve some situations.

I believe those Namibians reading this post have indeed registered and for those who might not have done so and lost the now ended registration process, you still have a chance in the next ten years to be registered for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, however, don't miss out on the regional and local authority elections.

And kindly help me to spread the message that registering for election and subsequently voting is your legitmate right, claim it...it is only you who can do that and no one else will do so on your behalf as voting is your voice - and those your votes for remain your secret.