Affirmative Repositioning leader and National Assembly member Job Amupanda has withdrawn his High Court application against the Speaker of the National Assembly over the appointment of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) chairperson and commissioners.

The matter was withdrawn before Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and the other respondents had opposed the application.

A High Court order dated 18 August confirms that the matter was removed from the court roll and regarded as finalised, following a notice of withdrawal filed by Amupanda on 20 July.

Amupanda had approached the court after demanding access to documents relating to the selection and nomination of the ECN leadership.

He wanted Parliament to be provided with records including interview minutes, candidates’ score sheets, and the selection committee’s recommendations to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Amupanda argued that Members of Parliament could not properly consider and approve the President’s nominees without access to the records used in the selection process.

The dispute followed the President’s nomination of Gerson Sindano as ECN chairperson, together with Emmerentia Leonard and Julieta Diva Ferreira as commissioners.

The Speaker rejected Amupanda’s demand for the internal selection records, saying the selection committee’s mandate was to receive applications, interview candidates and make recommendations to the President.
The Speaker said that once the recommendations were submitted, the National Assembly’s role was to approve or reject the President’s nominations, rather than scrutinise the committee’s internal deliberations and evaluation records.

Amupanda subsequently launched the court application seeking to halt the parliamentary process until the requested records were made available.
Parliament resumes in September.