Otjiwarongo: Otjozondjupa Region Governor, John ||Khamuseb, was the first to cast his vote at Otjiwarongo during the 2025 Regional Councils and Local Authorities elections, which commenced across the country on Wednesday morning. ||Khamuseb expressed his satisfaction with the voting process after casting his ballot at the Swanevelder Community Hall polling station, describing it as straightforward and efficient.

According to Namibia Press Agency, ||Khamuseb reported that the voting process took approximately 10 minutes and urged all eligible voters in the region to participate actively. He highlighted the significance of selecting regional constituency councillors and local authority leaders, who play critical roles in determining the development and services provided in towns and villages.

The governor emphasized that the elected leaders will be responsible for decisions regarding municipal services, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and economic activities. He encouraged residents to vote in large numbers, underscoring the elections' focus on essential community issues.

In addition to ||Khamuseb, Otjiwarongo Mayor Gottlieb Shivute and Member of Parliament Marlayn Mbakera were among those who voted shortly afterward. The Electoral Commission of Namibia's Otjozondjupa Regional Electoral Officer, Victoria Amutenya, confirmed that voting began promptly at 07h00 across the region.

Amutenya noted that while queues at polling stations were short, a steady stream of voters continued to arrive. Voting is scheduled to continue until 21h00 on Wednesday, after which the counting of votes will begin, followed by the announcement of preliminary results for this year's elections.