Windhoek: The Electoral Court on Wednesday reserved a ruling on whether the 2024 National Assembly elections challenge should be heard before the Supreme Court pronounces itself on the Presidential election challenge. A full bench consisting of judges Hannelie Prinsloo, Orben Sibeya, and Esi Schimming-Chase stated that a judgment in the matter will be delivered next week Monday to allow time for deliberation.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the election challenge was lodged by the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), with the party seeking an order declaring the outcome of the National Assembly elections held in November last year invalid and unlawful. The IPC further demands that the outcome be declared a breach of Namibia's Constitution. The party insists the elections were marred by irregularities, including insufficient ballot papers at polling stations across the country and claims that the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) extended the election to 30 November.

IPC President Panduleni Itula, in his affidavit, stated, "The return and outcome of the impugned election are replete with grave illegalities of the worst kind, and in fact amounted to disenfranchisement of eligible voters. The count for the impugned election was not taken immediately after the close of the polls at 21h00 on 27 November 2024 as required by Part 5 of the Act." Itula insists in court papers that the election was flawed "on a range of levels, and was outright constitutionally offensive." He further argued that the number of persons who voted after 27 November 2024 is unknown.

Respondents in the matter, including President Nangolo Mbumba, the ECN, and its Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer, Peter Shaama, scored a victory on Wednesday after the court ruled that the IPC compensate them N.dollars 150,000 each for legal fees.