Namibia: Party funding

Updated June 2006

Public funding

Since 1997 Political parties represented in the National Assembly have received funds from the state on an annual basis, in proportion to the votes they garnered in the previous legislative election (Lodge et al 2002, 253). Public funding of parties is restricted to 0.2% of the state budget of the previous year. There are no legal obligations on parties to submit audited accounts for funds received and, though the Speaker has mooted such legislation, none has been presented to parliament as yet (Boer 2004, 8; Lebeau et al 2005, 92-93). Several commentators have observed that political parties are heavily dependent on state funding to finance their operations (Hopwood 2005, 138).

Private funding

There are few restrictions on private funding. The Electoral Act (1992, 46) requires disclosure of all foreign funds received "unless such money is disclosed to the public within such period after having received it and in such a manner and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed"; violation of this clause carries a penalty of N$12 000 or imprisonment up to three years or both (Electoral Act 1992, 98). The law, however, does not in fact prescribe the conditions for disclosure. The Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, SWAPO Party Namibia, the Congress of Democrats and the Republican Party have all disclosed that they have received funds from abroad (Boer 2004, 10; Hopwood 2005, 138). Four parties of the nine competing in the 2004 election admitted to receiving foreign funding (Lebeau et al 2005, 95).

Other than this is there is no other regulation of party funding. Boer (2004, 7) summed up the situation as follows:

There are no laws at all about how much a private individual, company or organization can donate to a political party. Donors do not have to disclose contributions nor are there tax benefits for supporting political parties. There are no ceilings on contributions and no limits to how much money parties can raise. There are no bans on donations from foreigners, companies, government contractors, trade unions or anonymous donations.

References

BOER, M 2004, "The Life of the Party: The Hidden Role of Money in Namibian Politics", Institute for Public Policy Research, Occasional Paper No 5/2004, [www] http://www.hsf.org.na/download/OccPap5Boer.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 23 Feb 2010).

ELECTORAL ACT (NO 24) OF 1992 as amended in 1994, 1998 and 1999.

HOPWOOD, G 2005 "Trapped in the Past: The State of the Opposition" IN Hunter, J (Ed), Spot the Difference: Namibia's Political Parties Compared, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, 124-130, [www] http://www.kas.de/db_files/dokumente/7_dokument_dok_pdf_7943_1.pdf [PDF document, opens new window] (accessed 23 Feb 2010).

LEBEAU, D & DIMA, E, 2005 Multiparty Democracy and Elecions in Namibia [PDF document], EISA Research Report No 13.

LODGE, L, KADIMA, D & POTTIE, D 2002 (eds), Compendium of Elections in Southern Africa, EISA.