Electoral Commission of Namibia chief electoral officer Theo Mujoro has said the commission is currently processing applications of diplomats who have applied to observe the regional council and local authority elections set for next month. 
“Traditionally, regional council and local authority elections normally don’t attract foreign observers. They don’t apply and we don’t invite them. Foreign observers are normally interested in the Presidential and National Assembly elections,” Mujoro told New Era yesterday. 
However, he said, the commission has received applications from various missions in the country, wanting to observe the elections, which are currently being considered. 

In less than a month, Namibians are heading to the polls to elect new regional council and local authority councillors who will serve for five years. A considerable number of candidates, political parties and associations have registered to participate in the polls. 
This year, a record of 93 independent candidates will participate in the upcoming elections, a significant jump from five who contested the 2015 vote.  According to the electoral commission, it received a total of 493 candidates to contest in the country’s 121 constituencies, of which 93 were independent candidates. From the 493, 423 were male candidates, while 70 are female.