The malaise of money in politics
24 November 2020 | Opinion
Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist George Bernard Shaw once said: “Holding money above all else, for as long as our society has, has created generations of greedy individuals, and we have repeatedly rewarded greed by praising the ability to take advantage of people as a certain strain of ingenuity, and by giving the greediest among us a higher platform, political seats and unspoken power to further their agenda”.
This rings especially true in an environment where party financing is generally non-transparent, and Namibia is no exception.
It creates the real risk that interest groups and wealthy individuals will buy influence in political parties, and in so doing, erode public confidence in the political system.
As many critics have opined over the years, this is because 'donations' are neither open to public scrutiny nor subject to any legislative restraints.
This lack of transparency and openness, as well as mechanisms to prevent this malaise, provide ample ground for influence-peddling, where those who essentially pay the piper dictate the tune.
The contribution of money to political parties and candidates is an important way in which unscrupulous interests have gained a foothold in our body politic.
The challenge now is not only for Swapo to come clean around whose vested interests it has entertained through accepting political funds. Other parties need to do the same, and shine a light in dark and often compromised spaces.
This rings especially true in an environment where party financing is generally non-transparent, and Namibia is no exception.
It creates the real risk that interest groups and wealthy individuals will buy influence in political parties, and in so doing, erode public confidence in the political system.
As many critics have opined over the years, this is because 'donations' are neither open to public scrutiny nor subject to any legislative restraints.
This lack of transparency and openness, as well as mechanisms to prevent this malaise, provide ample ground for influence-peddling, where those who essentially pay the piper dictate the tune.
The contribution of money to political parties and candidates is an important way in which unscrupulous interests have gained a foothold in our body politic.
The challenge now is not only for Swapo to come clean around whose vested interests it has entertained through accepting political funds. Other parties need to do the same, and shine a light in dark and often compromised spaces.
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