interim statement
EISA Observer Mission 2004 Namibia Presidential and National Assembly elections
Windhoek, Thursday 18th November 2004
Introduction
EISA was invited by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to observe the country's Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for the 15th and 16th November 2004. Accordingly, EISA deployed an Observer Mission to these elections. As a regional Election Observer Mission made up of citizens from various SADC Countries, we came here to and learn and make our contribution to the nurturing, institutionalisation and consolidation of democracy in Namibia.
The Mission has made an assessment of the election and its preliminary findings and recommendations are presented in this interim statement. EISA will produce a more comprehensive and final report on the entire election process. This report will provide an in-depth analysis and detailed observations as well as recommendations for further consolidation of the country's democratic governance. Therefore, EISA will continue to follow the process to its completion, including the announcement of results so as to evaluate the overall post-election phase.
On behalf of the EISA Election Observer Mission, I, as the Mission Leader and my Deputy would like to take this opportunity to extend our gratitude to the people of Namibia for the warm welcome and hospitality given to the Mission. We also congratulate the people of Namibia for their political maturity and the peaceful manner in which the election was conducted. We also extend our sincere appreciation to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) for the invitation to observe the election. We were allowed unhindered and unrestricted access to all key offices dealing with elections, all polling and counting stations visited as well as access to the Central Election Results Centre (CERC). We were impressed by the hospitable, courteous and friendly manner in which the election personnel received our Mission in the spirit of UBUNTU. This warm welcome and hospitality made our task both easier and enjoyable indeed.
About EISA
EISA was established in 1996. It is an independent, non-partisan and non-profit organisation which seeks to promote credible elections and democratic governance in Africa through research, capacity building, advocacy and other targeted interventions. Election Observation is one of the key components of EISA work as it allows the collection of data and information on electoral practices. It allows a country holding elections to share valuable lessons with other countries given that mission members come with varying experiences from their own countries. Equally important for EISA, election observation provides an opportunity for mission members from countries without a long tradition of multi-party democratic elections to gain first hand electoral experience which is intended to have a positive multiplier effect for their own countries.
EISA has its headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has Field Offices in three countries, namely Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Mozambique.