Foundations: Noble causes or hidden corridors of power?

In democratic nations like Namibia, transparency is not just a virtue; it is a constitutional obligation. We are a sovereign state, built on the values of accountability, openness and participatory governance.

Yet, one space that seems to have escaped the glare of public scrutiny is that of foundations – those charitable entities often named after prominent individuals, particularly politicians.

Foundations are, by design, supposed to uplift communities, preserve legacies, and drive development in areas governments cannot always reach.

But do all foundations do this? Are they living up to the noble principles for which they were formed? As citizens, we have a right to ask: Who audits these foundations?

How many foundations currently exist in Namibia? Is there a national registry to track them? How many have been audited over the past five or ten years? Can we access these audit reports? Who is legally mandated to oversee and enforce financial compliance of foundations in Namibia?

Are foundations compelled by law to submit annual reports or open their books to the public? These questions do not come from a place of hostility but from a concerned citizen’s mind seeking clarity in an independent country.

In recent times, the political landscape has seen disturbing trends: money allegedly changing hands between businesspeople and politicians – but the said funds are claimed to have been paid into foundations, not directly to individuals.



Potential and potential misuse

This technicality of routing funds through foundations should deeply concern every Namibian.

When a foundation is named after a politician, run by their family, or linked to a political office, should it not be treated as an extension of that person’s public trust?

Is this not a potential loophole to bypass anti-corruption frameworks?

Can a politician claim innocence of bribery if the funds were simply chanelled to their personal foundation? Who ensures that such foundations are not used to launder money or store political kickbacks under the guise of charity?

More importantly, who tracks how these funds are used and who benefits?

Have these foundations helped the poor, built clinics, or offered scholarships, or have they been used to buy new cars, fund international trips and pay salaries to family members?

There are thousands of unemployed graduates, thousands of hungry families and thousands of schoolchildren studying under trees. Shouldn’t foundations have long intervened?

If foundations are so powerful and noble, where are the measurable outcomes? How many Namibians have benefitted from the well-known political foundations in this country? Do we know? Do these foundations publish annual impact reports? Are they available for the public to read?

In many democracies, foundations are treated with both respect and suspicion – respect for their potential and suspicion for their misuse.

In the United States, the IRS demands annual tax filings and full financial disclosures from nonprofit foundations. Failure to do so leads to deregistration. In Namibia, do we have such mechanisms in place?

What role does the Business and Intellectual Property Authority (Bipa) play in regulating these entities? Are foundations required to disclose their donors, income sources and expenditures?

If a politician receives millions in donations to their foundation, does parliament get informed? Are these donations taxed? Are they monitored?

How many foundations in Namibia are run by independent boards, and how many are governed by family members or political loyalists?

When a foundation is led by family, what internal checks and balances exist to prevent abuse? Where is the line between public duty and private interests, between national service and family enrichment?

Should a minister’s spouse or child be the CEO of a foundation receiving public or donor funds? The idea that someone can wear two hats – one as a politician and another as a foundation trustee – without conflict is a dangerous illusion.



Patriotic concern

Public trust is sacred. And foundations, if not transparent, erode that trust. In parliament, we debate national budgets with intense scrutiny. Yet, these foundations, many flush with millions, go unquestioned.

When tenders are awarded and donations are made to these foundations, are those transactions declared publicly?

Is it not time for us to demand that all foundations, especially those linked to public officials, be listed, audited and made transparent?

There is no intention here to smear any particular individual. I write not in hatred, but in patriotic concern. We are not accusing anyone, we are merely asking questions that any democracy must answer.

We are saying: If you are doing good, let us see the good. If the foundation is changing lives, let the nation see the evidence. But if the foundation is merely a bank account with a noble name, then that is exploitation at its worst.

Namibia cannot afford to allow foundations to become safe havens for unmonitored wealth, undeclared income or political slush funds.

We are seeing foundations being used to host lavish events, sponsor political campaigns, and fund personal travels, and yet no reports are submitted. This undermines the purpose of foundations and taints all others that may be genuinely serving communities.

So, who protects the integrity of the foundation system? Who watches the watchdogs? If the auditor general is tasked to oversee public institutions, can they also inspect foundations linked to state officials?

Should the Anti-Corruption Commission have the mandate to investigate foundations when political figures are beneficiaries?

Should parliament pass a law compelling all foundations above a certain threshold to publish annual audited financial statements?

Should all foundations associated with political office bearers be temporarily paused during their term in office? What happens to donor funds that are given 'in good faith' but are used for selfish interests?

In South Africa, the CR17 campaign raised similar questions about political money and foundations.



Hope, not hidden wealth

Namibia should not wait for scandal. We must act before we are engulfed in one. Foundations can be beautiful vehicles of hope, but without transparency, they become dark tunnels of exploitation.

We must be honest: some foundations do good work, and their founders must be applauded. But some foundations have become family-owned empires, shrouded in secrecy and untouchable in the eyes of the law. Is this what independence fought for? Is this what democracy defends?

Namibians deserve answers. Civil society deserves clarity. Parliament must demand oversight. The Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance and ACC must collaborate to create a framework for foundation accountability.

Foundations should be required to register, publish audited reports, disclose donors, and operate with independent boards. If a politician wishes to run a foundation, they must recuse themselves from direct oversight during their term.

We must break the culture of silence and demand the culture of openness.

This is not an attack – it is a wake-up call.

Let the good foundations rise and shine, and let the shady ones be exposed to the disinfectant of truth.

Namibia belongs to all of us, and every cent that is meant for development must be accounted for, no matter which name is on the bank account.

Let this be the era when foundations truly become what they were meant to be: Foundations of Hope, not Fortresses of Hidden Wealth.

*Hidipo Hamata writes from Omafo – Helao Nafidi Town in the Ohangwena region. Patriot. Thinker. Citizen.