ECN enforces strict political funding regulations

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has started enforcing political fundraising regulations,.
So far, Swapo and the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) have submitted annual audited financial statements and declared their assets.

ECN met with all registered political parties last week to discuss issues of non-compliance with the filing of audited financial statements.
Swapo last week published its abridged statement of financial position for the years ended 31 March March 2022 and 31 March 2021 in the newspapers.

During the 2022 financial year, the ruling party received N$68 million in political funding and generated over N$193 million from investments and other sources of income.

In 2021, the party received over N$76 million in political funding, and generated over N$213 million from investments.

Swapo, which holds 64 seats in the National Assembly, receives the bulk of the funds allocated to political parties represented in parliament.

PDM also recently published its audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2022. The party also shared its financial statements with party members through its social media platforms.

In 2022, PDM recorded total assets worth N$2,4 million, compared to N$2,3 million the previous year. The official opposition party, with 16 seats in parliament, received over N$13 million from the state last year and N$11 million in 2021.

PDM treasurer general Nico Smit yesterday said the party has been abiding by the electoral commission’s financial regulations. “We have been submitting our books. It is only for this year that it is outstanding, but we are currently with the auditors,” he said, adding that his party does not receive any other donations besides state funding.

The All People’s Party (APP) has also published its annual financial report for the fiscal year ended 31 March 2021. The party recorded total assets worth just over N$292 000 last year. APP acting president Nangolo Shuumbwa yesterday said the party is in good standing with the electoral regulations.

COMPLIANT

National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) secretary general Joseph Kauandenge said they are in the process of submitting financials for the 2021 and 2022 financial years.

“We have an engagement with them, and there are some outstanding documents that we were not aware of, and we must advertise our audited financial reports in newspapers. We were not aware of those things, but it was made clear to us that we also have to do that,” he said, in reference to a meeting with ECN on Thursday.

The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), which met with the ECN officials last Wednesday, is also in compliance with the law, according to its secretary general, Christine Esperanza !Auchumus.

!Auchumus said it is critical for political parties, particularly IPC, to follow the Electoral Act by presenting financial documents and declaring assets on a regular and timely basis.

“Transparency and financial accountability are fundamentals to maintaining public trust and integrity in the political process. By adhering to financial reporting requirements, parties demonstrate their commitment to being accountable,” she said.

Financial transparency, according to !Auchumus, can help deter corruption within political parties.

“When parties are required to disclose their financial status and asset holdings, it creates a level of scrutiny that can discourage financial misconduct,” said !Auchumus.

The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) is also in the process of submitting their latest financial statements, said the party’s spokesperson, Lifaraza Simataa.

“When it comes to ECN regulations for declaring their financials, LPM is in compliance. It is important that all political parties be able to declare their assets, especially in light of scandals like Fishrot,” he said.

The secretary general of the United Democratic Front (UDF), Hage Elijah Gawaseb, whose party met with the ECN on Friday, said they have been submitting their financial statements.

“UDF is always up to date. The only issue, according to ECN, is that because we use auditors who are not registered in Namibia, they consider our statements to be unaudited. However, after we explained, they accepted the previous assertions. We have agreed to implement their proposal beginning this year,” Gawaseb said.

Martin Lukato Lukato, president of the National Democratic Organisation of Namibia (NDP), who met with ECN last Wednesday, said his party has not been submitting financial statements due to a lack of funding.

“But they made it clear that whether it is a zero balance or not, we must submit. There are certain forms that they provided. If I can have some auditors who can assist us for free to compile a financial report with zero resources,” he said,

BREACH
Tsudao Gurirab, the spokesman for the Congress of Democrats, stated that the former official opposition never submitted financial statements in accordance with the electoral law.

“We have not accounted for any money since the time when we were in parliament. I know we are in the same position as everybody else. I think there is no single party that has accounted for their funds properly,” he said.

“I think all of us are in breach of accounting for public funds. It doesn’t help to say, well we spend the money on campaigns at Usakos. We must say how much we received, and we must show you how we spent the money.”

ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua said on Monday the commission has been consistently trying to get the political parties to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

“So, this one-on-one engagement is the ultimate, and any political party that will not comply after that, the commission will then invoke the Electoral Act in terms of the options that we have going forward,” Nghikembua said.

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