Namibia might be small in population, but it is fast becoming a leader in many respects.
Its latest record is the usage of Indian-purchased Electronic Voting Machines - or EVMs as many call them which were used for the first time in both Namibia and Africa for a by-Election in the Ohangwena Constituency of the Ohangwena Region in the Northern part of the country recently.
This is the first time an African country is pioniering this technology - and many are hailing its success - including both young and old. The feedback has been overwhelming with some old people refering to the election voting machines as "an easy thing" and quick to use.
The voting machines are eliminating the physcial ballot paper usage and the election voter education of pressing a button seems to have been easy to even those electorates who cannot read or write as all they have to do is to know their Political Party or Political Party candidate and press the particular button next to the Party of their choice. This exercise has also shown that technology is really making things easier for the voters - on the other hand, our voters are also adapting to ICT in their own way.
The machine also eliminated the issue of spoiled ballot papers which is another plus for the country.
Another positive development is the fact that the machine can easily and quickly tabulate the total votes for each Political Party or Political Party Candidate and in the presence of those concerned indicate the total number of the winner and the followers. Again, this is cutting down on the cumbersome physical counting of each ballot paper.
Many countrie including Namibia most of the time end up with court hearings about election results disputes - which eminate from ballot paper or vote counting issues - or rigging which is a general term used in related cases. And with the new e-voting machines, all these issues are likely to be things of the past.
The voting machines will again be tested at the upcoming by-elections in Otjinene in the Omaheke Region - which is the eastern part of Namibia and many eligible voters are looking forward to that.
The same machines are to be used in the upcoming National Assembly and Presidential Elections in November 2014 - the first ever national elections to use voting machines.
If Namibia can set the benchmark in the Electronic Voting Machines, any other African country can also do that as improving the election processes can only improve the democratic systems.
Well done Namibia, keep on leading the electronic voting processes pack in Africa.
The author of this post is looking forward to the next African country that will follow in the footsteps of the Land of the Brave.
Its latest record is the usage of Indian-purchased Electronic Voting Machines - or EVMs as many call them which were used for the first time in both Namibia and Africa for a by-Election in the Ohangwena Constituency of the Ohangwena Region in the Northern part of the country recently.
This is the first time an African country is pioniering this technology - and many are hailing its success - including both young and old. The feedback has been overwhelming with some old people refering to the election voting machines as "an easy thing" and quick to use.
The voting machines are eliminating the physcial ballot paper usage and the election voter education of pressing a button seems to have been easy to even those electorates who cannot read or write as all they have to do is to know their Political Party or Political Party candidate and press the particular button next to the Party of their choice. This exercise has also shown that technology is really making things easier for the voters - on the other hand, our voters are also adapting to ICT in their own way.
The machine also eliminated the issue of spoiled ballot papers which is another plus for the country.
Another positive development is the fact that the machine can easily and quickly tabulate the total votes for each Political Party or Political Party Candidate and in the presence of those concerned indicate the total number of the winner and the followers. Again, this is cutting down on the cumbersome physical counting of each ballot paper.
Many countrie including Namibia most of the time end up with court hearings about election results disputes - which eminate from ballot paper or vote counting issues - or rigging which is a general term used in related cases. And with the new e-voting machines, all these issues are likely to be things of the past.
The voting machines will again be tested at the upcoming by-elections in Otjinene in the Omaheke Region - which is the eastern part of Namibia and many eligible voters are looking forward to that.
The same machines are to be used in the upcoming National Assembly and Presidential Elections in November 2014 - the first ever national elections to use voting machines.
If Namibia can set the benchmark in the Electronic Voting Machines, any other African country can also do that as improving the election processes can only improve the democratic systems.
Well done Namibia, keep on leading the electronic voting processes pack in Africa.
The author of this post is looking forward to the next African country that will follow in the footsteps of the Land of the Brave.
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