The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), one of Namibia’s largest political parties, has raised objections against the appointment of Ren-Form, a company linked to businessman Wicknell Chivayo, to supply election materials for the upcoming national elections on November 27. The tender is reportedly valued at $60 million.
Ren-Form previously secured a contract in Zimbabwe to provide election materials to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC). However, that process was marred by allegations of corruption, claiming Chivayo had overcharged the ZEC in exchange for kickbacks to himself and certain officials, following disputes over the distribution of those kickbacks.
In response to the news of Ren-Form’s new contract in Namibia, PDM leader McHenry Venaani called on citizens to join him in a protest march next week. He stated, “We have notified the Inspector General of Police about our planned march on Tuesday to defend our democracy and to express our disdain for the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s actions in hiring a company involved in international corruption.”
The PDM has also shared a letter from their legal representatives addressed to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), expressing concern over Chivayo’s involvement. The letter reads, “Our client is worried that the integrity of the electoral process for the upcoming Presidential and National Elections could be compromised by the appointment of this supplier.”
In confirming the contract award, the ECN stated that the reported tender value was inaccurate and emphasized that a thorough selection process was conducted. “The decision to award the contract to Ren-Form CC followed a rigorous evaluation process, complying with procurement laws. The total cost of the contract is N$6,250,686, significantly less than the inflated figure of N$1 billion circulating in the media,” the commission clarified.