Namibia and the United States of America have been urged to re-invest in ideas that elections are about choices for the electorate and not resort to violence and other distractions.

US Ambassador Randy Berry says this is extremely important as the two countries head to the polls to elect new leadership.

Both Namibia and the US are currently in their election cycles, with the casting of votes scheduled for November.

Namibia's electoral body has yet to declare the campaign period open for the political parties in the run-up to the actual voting day.

However, activities of mass mobilisation and membership recruitment remain the order of the day.

In the US, primaries are in full swing among the different states. 

Former President and Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has been endorsed as a presidential candidate and is likely to square off against current Vice President Kamala Harris for the top job.

Harris is expected to be officially nominated and endorsed as a presidential candidate at the Democratic Party's convention next month after President Joe Biden quit the race.

The election periods in Namibia and the US have been known to be relatively peaceful over the years.

But recent incidences of shootings on former President Trump and assaults on the Swapo Party's branch coordinator, Moses Munango, are but some that could trigger an end to political tolerance.

"One of the most important aspects is to understand that elections are a contest of ideas. It is up to the parties, whether here or in the US, to be able to present the best case to the electorate on the policies and interests that they would pursue. As we have seen rather some distressing developments in the US, and it is clear, as our President said, that violence is never part of the equation, we need to, for all of us who live in democratic states, re-invest in the idea that elections are about choices and to make those choices clear and to make those competitions of ideas extremely important."

Ambassador Berry shared these views, following a courtesy meeting with President Nangolo Mbumba at State House.