Stampriet residents have expressed mixed feelings about the upcoming elections, with some intending to vote while others may choose to abstain from voting.

Stampriet is a village in the Hardap Region, located east of Mariental.

Uncertainty looms over Stampriet as the upcoming elections approach. 

Residents abstaining from elections point to ongoing challenges with service delivery in services such as potable water, sanitation, electricity, and inadequate infrastructure as reasons for not voting.

These issues, coupled with a history of unfulfilled campaign promises, they say, have eroded trust in the political process for some Stampriet residents. 

The case of 72-year-old Frans Nowaseb illustrates the personal impact of these broader issues. 

Despite having voted consistently since Namibia's independence, Nowaseb plans to sit out this election. 

His decision stems from frustrations over his wife's inability to receive her qualifying pension and the lack of drought relief support for his household.

"We hear on the radio every other day about developments taking place in other areas but not Stampriet. And when it comes to the distribution of drought relief, some households receive full packages while others don't at all, and yet they want people to go vote. As for me and my wife, we will not vote because she doesn't benefit from government."

Despite the doubts that some people have, there are still those who plan to vote, holding onto the conviction that their participation in the democratic process will bring about positive change or at least help maintain a voice in matters that affect their future.

"We live among waste, which has turned into a dumping site all over the place. There are no toilets, and we have to use the bush to relieve ourselves as well as the children, and it's not safe for us. But I will vote in hopes that it makes a difference, but my vote remains my secret."

Residents say as the election approaches, the decision to vote or abstain is not just a political one, but it is deeply tied to the residents' broader sense of trust in the institutions and systems meant to serve them.