Namibians voting in their presidential election became the first in Africa to use electronic voting.

It has been 25 years since Namibia's first democratic elections, and for the first time 1.2 million people are expected to cast their votes electronically in the country's fifth election since independence.

"The decision to consider acquiring electronic voting machines was primarily based on some challenges and experiences that we have had in the manner and way we manage our elections," the electoral commission's Theo Mujoro told China's CCTV.

The voters will cast their ballots for presidential and parliamentary candidates on separate machines, chunky slabs of green and white plastic with the names and images of candidates and their party affiliation that make a loud beep after each vote.

"The younger people get it first time, but the older ones you have to explain a little," said presiding officer Hertha Erastus.

The voting modules will not be connected externally to any sources to prevent tampering, and the commission hopes electronic voting will reduce queues and speed up counting.

Opposition parties had launched an 11th-hour court challenge to stop the vote from going ahead, saying the use of the Indian-made e-voting machines could facilitate vote rigging.

The High Court in Windhoek dismissed the case.

"There is merit about the electronic voting machines not having a paper trail. The paper trail issue is a very fundamental issue," opposition presidential candidate Mchenry Venaani told CCTV.

"But I think all the parties that are complaining now had ample time to take government, or whoever, to court earlier, than coming to stop elections two days before the election."

The ruling South West People's Organisation (SWAPO) party is expected to retain power in the country it has run for the past quarter-century.

Voters at Katutura township, outside the capital Windhoek, formed long lines before daybreak, including some first-time "born free" voters - those born after independence in 1990.

"It's a rich country with poor people, so I hope there is more balance," said 43-year-old Elias while waiting to cast his vote.

He said he hopes to see opposition parliamentarians challenge SWAPO's long grip on power.

President Hifikepunye Pohamba, who has served a maximum two five-year terms in office, will step down after the vote and is likely to be succeeded by prime minister Hage Geingob, if SWAPO wins the election.

The liberation movement won 75 per cent of the vote in the last election, but the party has seen increased criticism of the slow pace of land reform as well as allegations of government corruption.

Source; [url]http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-28/namibian-election-first-in-africa-to-use-electronic-voting/5927206[/b]

When will the Giant of African Adopt it?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2j1rBRjzBfg

[size=15pt]Namibia goes to the polls in Africa's first electronic election[/size]

Welcome development for NAMIBIA
#HakunaMatata

Welcome to 21st Century Nambia . Did you see the giant on your way?

We are not there yet....nawa o

Harmvirus:
We are not there yet....nawa o

We would "IFF" our poli-thief-cians will allow it

Voting machines should be used in Nigeria

CFCfan:
Voting machines should be used in Nigeria

for where? That can never happen! Not for those who rig their way to victory.

Namibia's population is less than 5 million and the country is very rich yet the number of poor people is high. If Africans were 'normal' mentally then places like Namibia should be like First world countries.

The electronic voting thing is the least they could do