WINDHOEK- The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is in the implementation phase to establish an agency tasked with increasing the transparency of political party financing.
Chapter 4 of the Electoral Act, 2014 (No. 5 of 2014) makes provision for a comprehensive regulation of political party financing and accountability by political parties.
This information is contained in the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) report on the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan 2016-2019, which was tabled in the National Assembly last week. The report outlines six strategic objectives that are in the process of being implemented.
These include increasing the level of political accountability; preventing corruption in government offices, ministries, agencies and public enterprises, strengthening efforts to deter corruption, conducting extensive anti-corruption education, preventing corruption in the private sector and engaging civil society and the media in combating corruption.
The report shows that ECN has reported that 40 percent progress has been made in terms of determining that the provisions of party transparency as contained in Chapter 4 of the Electoral Act, 2014.
Further, it states that ECN has been consulting with all political parties regarding compliance with the provisions of Chapter 4 of the Act, especially with party secretary generals and authorised representative of respective parties registered with ECN.
It outlines that ECN has challenges with enforcing some of the provisions of the Act.
In particular, the report indicates on provisions related to submission of audited reports by political parties (Sections 158 and 160); declaration of assets and liabilities (Section 139); disclosure of foreign and domestic financing received (Section 141); accountability of funding received political parties (Section 158); and records and audit of registered parties (Section 140).
The Electoral Act, 2014 requires amendments before ECN can determine compliance by political parties.
The amendments have already been formulated and were discussed at a workshop in April 2018 - with recommendations made for amendments to various sections.
The next post-election report will be published after the 2019 and 2020 elections.
The last post-election reports were published during the 2014 Presidential and National Assembly Elections and in 2015 during the Regional and Local Authority Elections.
On the prevention of corruption in government ministries, offices and agencies, the report indicated that there are 32 National Anti-Corruption Strategy actions under this strategic objective, of which one was completed, 17 are in the process of implementation and 14 are yet to be implemented or no report was received.
The activities consist of reforms in the internal management of public resources and administration to reduce opportunities and incentives for corruption, while minimising wastages in public institutions.
Therefore, reforming public sector management and public finance are being carried out through nine specific objectives.
These include addressing public institutions’ specific vulnerabilities by systematic implementation of preventive measures; increasing institutional transparency by increasing the availability of public data made available by public authorities and enhancing transparency and integrity specifically in public enterprises among other objectives.