The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has completed the training of polling officials, police officers, and election agents at Ondangwa in preparation for the Okaku by-election in Oshana Region.

All election agents and police officers have already undergone training with the polling officials, which ended on Wednesday.

"This is for them to understand what our process is, what is expected on election day as a police officer, what are his duties and responsibilities, and of course, the same with election agents, what is also their responsibility; they should also not only understand their own duties and responsibilities, but also those of our polling officials," said Thomas Shapi, a training facilitator at the ECN.

The training for polling officials covered matters pertaining to the law (the Electoral Act) as well as technology (such as the use of voter verification devices).

"These are devices to quickly have our processes in place when a person comes with a voter card. You just scan to tell us that this person is one of the legally registered voters for Okaku, and then the process will be faster instead of us going to the voter's register and scanning the name looking for the names. That device makes it very quick." 

The training facilitator, Thomas Shapi, says the ECN made sure the presiding officers were well-trained and prepared for the task.

"We are ready, and we are happy as we speak right now. The tests have been written, and as the facilitator of this training, I am very satisfied, and they are ready to be in the field."

Shapi called on voters to go out in their numbers and not wait until the last minute when polling stations are about to close.