OPPOSITION parties have described the formula for the distribution of funds to political parties as unfair and that it gives the ruling Swapo Party an advantage over them.
With the national elections drawing closer, the parties – Congress of Democrats (CoD), the All People’s Party (APP) and the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) – have called for equal distribution of funds.
According to a formula that is based on the number of MPs each party has, Swapo will receive over N$21 million of the N$28 million allocated for political parties this year. The ruling party also has business interests in several companies through its investment vehicle Kalahari Holdings. This includes MultiChoice Namibia.
In separate interviews with The Namibian, opposition party leaders moaned the imbalance in State funding for political parties.
CoD president Ben Ulenga compared the financial mismatch between Swapo and opposition parties to a fight between an elephant and a dog or ant.
Ulenga said the formula for allocating funds to political parties is one of the many inequalities that opposition parties have to face in their bid to compete on a level playing field.
“The funds should be divided equally. If [Hifikepunye] Pohamba or [Hage] Geingob can board a helicopter to attend a campaign meeting because they have the millions, why should Ulenga not get the same privilege. It’s a shame, shame and shame,” he said.
He accused the ruling party of being a player and referee at the same time by making a Cabinet decision on the formula for funding political parties in 1993. Ulenga was a Swapo deputy minister at that time.
“I would be happier if the formula was done by the Public Office Bearers’ Remuneration and Benefits Commission which decides our salaries,” he said.
Ulenga said his CoD party, cannot afford to pay a staff compliment of five and desribed the upcoming elections as being unfair because of the inequalities.
“We don’t have money, except what we receive from the State. We use my car for party engagements,” he moaned adding that he will take the issue of party funding with the electoral watchdog.
He said other inequalities are perpetrated by the media which has already proclaimed Swapo presidential candidate Geingob the winner before people have even voted. Ulenga said the State media continues to deny them airtime.
All People’s Party (APP) needs about N$3 million to fully compete but that has not been achieved and they continue appealing to donors to assist them, said president Ignatius Shixwameni who added that they did not even get a third of the money they hoped to get from donors.
The former Swapo youth leader also criticised the formula used to allocate funds to political parties as giving the ruling party the advantage.
The APP leader suggested that a flat rate for political parties such as N$5 million each must be implemented in order to level the playing field for all political parties.
Shixwameni accused the ruling party of using the State machinery such as government vehicles in its campaigns.
“They already have an unfair advantage,” he said.
The main opposition party, the Rally for democracy and Progress (RDP), was embroiled in controversy last year with reports that the party was failing to pay its workers.
Party spokesperson Jeremiah Nambinga was, however, confident of raising enough funds for the elections.
“We still have the trust of the people who are funding us. Democracy should be sustained,” he said but declined to name their sponsors.
Nambinga also agreed that there is need to re-visit the formula for allocating funds to political parties.
“We have a little funds but we are still asking for help from people willing to help us,” he said.
DTA of Namibia president McHenry Venaani was not available to comment however he told The Namibian earlier this year that they have devised ways of raising the needed funds.
“I would, however, say my party does not have enough money for the elections,” Venaani said, accusing the business sector of being “reluctant and shy” to support opposition parties, a trend he described as worrying because a weakened opposition does not enforce good democracy.
Swapo secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba was not available for comment. However, the ruling party also attracted criticism in 2012 when well-known businesspeople pledged not less than N$100 000 each at a function held at State House for the party’s elective congress.
