The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has urged the public to register for the general registration of voters (GRV) exercise that started today, the 3rd of June, and ends on August 1.

Dr. Elsie Nghikembua made the call while registering at the MTC Head Quarter's registration point in Olympia, Windhoek, this morning. 

"The teams on the ground all started, but because it's the first day, the numbers are still picking up, and we are ready as the electoral commission to register as many eligible Namibians as possible, my call to the nation is that we should make use of this opportunity. We have been saying that the registration cannot be extended because the implication is that if we extend registration, it also means we have to come up with a new date for the elections, and I don't think we want to find ourselves there. So overall, an exciting day for ECN." 

Nghikembua made a special appeal to the youth to go for the voters' registration and also to cast their vote on November 27. 

"We don't just register to keep our cards; we register to go vote because we noticed over the years we have a lot of people in the voters' roll, but the numbers that turn up to vote are always less. So the purpose of registering is to go and vote, and I want to make a special call to the youth. That is a special category, and we want you to come out in numbers." 

She also commended the Electoral Commission of South Africa for conducting a peaceful election. 

"I congratulate them on their achievement; it was peaceful, and we are also looking forward to a peaceful election in Namibia."

Any Namibian over the age of 18 can register. People must identify themselves physically by providing the required documents. 

To register as a voter in a local authority area, a person must have resided in the jurisdiction of that specific local authority for 12 consecutive months immediately before registration. 

Miguel Hamutenya was among the first people to register at the registration point at the MTC Headquarters.