Our door is closed for any coalition – IPC

By Kaipaherue Kandjii

IPC says it won’t entertain coalition overtures because Namibia law does not allow it.

The party’s national general secretary, Christine Aochamus, says in Section 143 and 144 of the Electoral Act there is no “legal basis” for a political parties’ coalition in any form or shape. Aochamus dismissed any prospects of a coalition, reiterating that IPC ‘is a law-abiding” entity which will remain “principled” in applying the ECN guidelines as required.

“The Electoral Act is obvious on the issue of coalitions. There is no [legal] provision for a coalition in the Act. It only makes provision for merges, which means that political parties would have to lose their [individual] identity and re-register. The other is an alliance, which is only feasible after an election.

So it is a no for us; it is just a principle of ours to abide by the law of the [ECN],” Aochamus said. IPC presidential candidate Dr Panduleni Itula laughed off claims that political formations had sought his blessing to form a coalition.

Itula characterised the assertions as pure lies, saying there are no such negotiations.

“I can tell you is it not true at all,” Itula stressed.

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