While it is generally accepted that there is no perfect electoral body, Namibia’s electoral commission has taken up the challenge to chase the elusive dream of perfection.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is ambitious in its endeavours if its draft strategic plan for 2022 to 2027 is anything to go by.
In formulating the document, the ECN looked at various policy documents, including Vision 2030, the National Development Plans and Harambee Prosperity Plans, the commission’s chief executive officer and referenda officer Theo Mujoro said recently.
The ECN admits that it is confronted by a myriad of challenges.
Institutional independence, legislative amendments and a corporate governance culture that is beyond reproach reign supreme on the electoral body’s agenda.
At an organisational level, the commission will enter into performance agreements with all employees to be reviewed quarterly.
Autonomy
One of the biggest challenges for electoral bodies is their inability to operate independently, without undue influence from the State and ruling parties.
Even the commission’s budget is currently dictated and controlled by Parliament.
The ECN is not an exception as the constitutional provisions do not provide a full interpretation of its independence as it does with other arms of government, like the Judiciary.
But this is not insurmountable as the commission seeks to, “Facilitate operationalisation of the independence of the ECN through amendments of the Electoral Act, ensuring the commission is fully independent by [a] legislation speaks to its processes.”
Loopholes
The barrage of grey areas in the Electoral Act is also a thorn in the commission’s flesh.
In addition, there is confusion around the clarification of boundaries of certain constituencies, which must be addressed in earnest, Mujoro said.
At present, the code of conduct for political parties participating in an election is a mere piece of paper as the ECN cannot enforce punitive measures against those who find themselves in the wrong.
“The code of conduct will be a gazetted agreement which brings about punitive measures,” Mujoro stated.
Party funding
Tightening of the noose with regards to political party funding is also enjoying the commission’s heightened attention, the plan shows.
It comes at a time when the ruling Swapo Party has been accused in court papers of having benefited from the Fishrot scandal through fishing quotas under the guise of ‘governmental objectives’.
The official opposition party, the Popular Democratic Movement, is allegedly using funding from the National Assembly to settle the personal loans of some of its members.
At present, there is a general lack of financial accountability observed at most political parties as not all political formations are compliant with Sections 139, 140, 121 and 158 pertaining to political party funding as prescribed in the Electoral Act.
“[ECN has] difficulties in getting financial statements from political parties, organisations/associations. [It also has] difficulties in enforcing the oversight function over political party funding and expenditure placing an undue burden on ECN,” the entity laments.
To address this, the Electoral Act must be amended to give ECN oversight powers similar to those allocated to other institutions of the State such as Parliament or the auditor general.
Voter apathy
The commission also wants to confront the elephant in the room: Voter apathy during the regional council and local authority election.
In 1992 when Namibians went to the polls to participate in regional council elections, there was an 81 per cent voter turnout.
Meanwhile, 82 per cent of eligible voters pitched up for the local authority elections that year.
However, since then, a downward spiral in voter turnout has been observed.
Numbers do not lie in this regard:
Regional council election – 1998 (40 per cent), 2004 (57 per cent), 2010 (38 per cent), 2015 (36 per cent) and 38 per cent in 2020.
Local authority elections – 1998 (33 per cent), 2004 (45 per cent), 2010 (33 per cent), 2015 (39 per cent) and 43 per cent in 2020.
On the national front, both the presidential elections and National Assembly elections’ voter turnout is tight at 74 per cent on average.
ECN is scratching its head regarding factors “why someone with a voter’s card, somewhere close to a polling station, where the queue isn’t that long, would just choose to stay home and not exercise his or her democratic right”.
To find answers, ECN has elected to conduct surveys to collect data on factors affecting voter turnout, use findings from the study in planning and preparation for the next elect.
ECN also aims to increase “voter education, civic education and engagement, especially among young people”.
But the commission conceded that it cannot do this on its own and will need the support of stakeholders, supremely political parties and associations, as well as civil society organisations.
The commission has mooted the introduction of continuous registration of voters with appropriate modalities. Voter registration weekends could be introduced.
ECN wants the inclusion of other categories of voters to cater to old age, hospitalised, prisoners’ voters under special voting provisions.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency