The Electoral Commission of Namibia's Chairperson, Elsie Nghikembua, said she is satisfied with the smooth and efficient progress of the special voting process, with a strong turnout among the security cluster and Namibians voting abroad.
Nghikembua expressed confidence in the day's proceedings and said the commission was thorough with the preparations to ensure a seamless voting experience.
Young uniformed staffers, in numbers queued at Van Rhyn Primary School, and their eagerness to cast their votes were evident.
ECN Chair Elsie Nghikembua stressed that recent process improvements are helping to reduce wait times for voters.
"This morning, the queues have been moving quickly. Previously, the verification process was a bottleneck, but now, with streamlined verification, voters' cards are scanned, and the system selects one finger for a second level of verification. Voters then move directly to collect their ballot papers, reducing wait times and preventing discouragement due to long queues."
Transparency is also a top priority for the ECN, said Nghikembua, adding that party agents have been present throughout the process, where they observed the opening of ballot boxes and the recording of serial numbers on the ballot books.
"This transparency ensures that everyone remains fully informed throughout the process."
She appealed to the Namibian nation to achieve that 90 percent turnout, urging every registered voter to take part in the democratic process.
With high turnout domestically and internationally, the ECN is optimistic about a successful election day.
The institutions corporate communications manager, De Wet Siluka, spoke on the matter.
"We have introduced more than one voting tool to enhance efficiency and provide a proper voting experience for members of the security cluster; the queues outside show the willingness of Namibians in the security cluster to exercise their constitutional rights by voting on this special day. We are optimistic that today will be a source of pride for the nation."
Siluka said that polling stations were set up in all 14 regions, with more than 30 stations nationwide.