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ECN nominee Sindano faces opposition scrutiny over past Swapo ties

Opposition parties in Namibia are raising concerns about the nomination of Electoral Commission of Namibia ECN commissioner Gerson Sindano to become the commission's next chairperson. They argue that his past ties to the Swapo party, including a previous role as personal assistant to former Swapo secretary general Nangolo Mbumba in 2013, undermine his perceived impartiality. Sindano's current term ends on 21 June 2027, but he has been nominated by president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to replace current chairperson Elsie Nghikembua. National Democratic Party president Martin Lukato stated that while Sindano's academic and professional credentials are not in question, he cannot approve a candidate whose impartiality might be affected by party loyalty, suggesting he would only support Sindano if he publicly renounced his Swapo membership. The Landless People’s Movement and All People’s Party also expressed concerns about the transparency of the nomination process, demanding the release of interview minutes and score sheets. Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda has approached the High Court for these documents. Conversely, parliamentary standing committee on constitutional and legal affairs chairperson Pohamba Shifeta defended the process, stating all legal procedures were followed. A former student of Sindano, Patrick Kashera, also defended him, urging objective assessment over partisan considerations.