Recommendations made for ECN independence

The Namibian parliament, and not solely the president, should have ultimate oversight authority for selecting electoral commissioners, a 2024 report by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has recommended.Currently, parliament recommends names of preferred candidates to the president for approval.“While the selection criteria for commissioners is clear, appointments are ultimately made by the president, who is also a party leader. Increasing the independence of the Electoral Commission of Namibia [ECN] and strengthening the role of parliament in selecting the composition of its membership would be a positive step towards further embedding the separation of powers in Namibia’s political system and bringing it more in line with the CPA’s Latimer House Principles on the three branches of government,” the report titled 'Benchmarks for democratic legislatures' read.Campaign financingIt further recommended that Namibia’s Electoral Act should be updated to include provisions for and limitations on campaign finance contributions.Just last month, Swapo benefactors pledged about N$16 million to the party, which will be used for campaign activities.This recommendation comes at a time when the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has been advocating for political parties to be transparent and accountable to the electorate, adding that electoral authorities - primarily the ECN and parliament - are not fully exercising their regulatory and enforcement powers to ensure that the use of public funds is effectively safeguarded and accounted for.The research body has continuously urged the ECN to demonstrate greater zeal in the enforcement of its regulatory mandate, specifically around holding political parties accountable for non-compliance with legal provisions concerning political financing.Representation mattersRegarding the eligibility of candidates standing for election, Namibia was lauded for not having restrictions in law or practice that prevent individuals from seeking office based on religion, gender, race or ethnicity, adding that the composition of parliament accurately represents a wide cross section of Namibian society. The report further stated: “It is worth noting that many political parties in Namibia have gender equality provisions detailed in their constitutions. Ministerial roles in each government department are filled equally between men and women, with the positions switching between genders in successive parliaments. More broadly, Namibia has taken further steps to encourage the representative political participation of other traditionally marginalised groups".The National Assembly currently has 44 of its 96 elected seats (45.8%) held by women and narrowly missed out on having a majority of female members at the 2019 general election. However, the National Council fares less well with just six of its 42 seats (14.8%) currently being held by women.

Recommendations made for ECN independence

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Recommendations made for ECN independence

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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