EISA launches its Regional Election Observer Mission for the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly Elections due to be held in Namibia on 15-16 November 2004. Leading the delegation will be Dr Gloria Somolekae. The mission will be composed of 31 members drawn from civil society organisations, election management bodies and academic institutions from Switzerland and various SADC countries, namely Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Botswana, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

The 2004 Namibia Elections will be the fourth electoral process where the assessment of the election will be based on the Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation in the SADC Region (PEMMO). PEMMO was recently adopted by the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries (SADC ECF) and EISA. It should be recalled that these principles were adopted in November 2003 and resulted from a process of consultation with all Electoral Commissions in the SADC region as well as civil society organisations (CSOs) who work in the elections field. PEMMO gives the region an objective basis in terms of which to conduct and assess elections.

The mission is expected to arrive in Namibia on 10 November 2004 in order to hold a series of meetings with election stakeholders, including Namibia Electoral Commission, (NEC), political parties, CSOs and academics, ahead of the election days. The mission will remain in the country until 19 November 2004 after observing the voting and counting processes as well as post-polling activities. The mission will cover rural as well as urban areas selected according to the political context of the country.

EISA is a regional non-governmental organisation established in 1996, based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Its mission is to strengthen electoral processes, good governance, human rights and democratic values in the SADC region and beyond through research, capacity building, advocacy and other targeted interventions. EISA services governments, electoral commissions, political parties, civil society organisations and other institutions operating in the democracy and governance fields in the SADC region and beyond.

Enquiries

Email Ms Irene Mathenjwa, Programme Officer, Elections and Political Processes Unit, EISA OR Mr Dieudonné Tshiyoyo, Programme Officer, EISA

Tel + 27 11 482 5495
Fax+27 11 482 6163