Martin Endjala
The Electoral Commission of Namibia has announced that it will deregister any political party and organization which is non-compliant with the submission of audited financial statements and the declaration of assets as stipulated in the ECN Act No. 5 of 2014.
According to the ECN’s Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager, De Wet Siluka, the provisions of the act were not being fully adhered to which resulted in some political parties and organizations not fully complying with the act.
“Political parties and organizations are supposed to submit their statements each year but that has not been the case, the commission therefore, resolved to address these issues, by sensitizing them first and failure to comply with the provision of the act, and they will be deregistered,” said Siluka. As a result, ECN has embarked on one-on-one engagement meetings with all political parties to discuss and address issues of non-compliance to the submission of audited financial statements from political parties and organisations and declaration of assets as stipulated in the Electoral Act. The Commission met with all political parties last week and organizations will follow suit. Siluka said that upon successive consultations, the commission will communicate the submission date where they will be required to do so as per the Electoral Act.
The Electoral Act, 5 of 2014, brought in a new dispensation regarding how political parties deal with their money. Section 139, 140, 141 and 158 of the Electoral Act, 5 of 2014 now makes it obligatory for political parties to formally declare their assets and liabilities, to keep records and audit their accounts, to disclose foreign and domestic financing and also to account for funds received from the taxpayers.
Siluka said that the Commission started to make political parties aware of the applicable sections and to ask for compliance in November 2020. Several letters were written during 2021 and 2022.
However, the Commission observed that it appears as if some political parties lack an understanding of the applicable sections and that it is thus hampering their compliance.
As a result, a workshop was conducted in September 2022, where the applicable sections were discussed in detail and parties had the opportunity to ask questions.
Furthermore, parties were given a deadline to comply, and this deadline was even extended. Despite the Commission’s best efforts, some parties still failed to comply.
As a last resort, ECN organised the one-on-one meetings to enable parties to explain their reasons for non-compliance in a secure setting, and without other parties being present.
Parties were informed of areas where they are compliant and also where they are not compliant.
The Commission is however, confident that parties will keep in mind that compliance is non-negotiable and that the ECN also must ensure that the provisions of the Act are adhered to.
