Opposition parties struggle with funding

WITH the announcement of dates for this year’s elections looming, Namibian opposition parties are dogged by a lack of funds, running into millions of dollars, to launch meaningful campaigns.

As expected, all the opposition parties are blaming Swapo for their inability to raise enough funds for their election campaigns.

All People’s Party (APP) needs about N$3 million, Swanu of Namibia wants N$100 million, while RDP earlier this month said they would need N$5 million. DTA say they want more than what APP and RDP want.

“Our finances are not good at all. We don’t have businesses like Swapo while our members are not well off,” APP president Ignatius Shixwameni said.

Shixwameni added: “We would like to call upon individual Namibians and businesses to donate to our election campaign in order to help us campaign effectively and efficiently and get more and more votes countrywide to strengthen our democracy.”

He urged the masses to rally behind opposition parties to mould a vibrant opposition which will successfully challenge the ruling party.

DTA of Namibia president McHenry Venaani declined to provide the estimated amount his party would need but said “we need more millions” more than what RDP and APP want. Venaani said they have designed ways to raise the funds.

“I would, however, say my party does not have enough money for the elections,” Venaani said, accusing the business sector of being “reluctant and shy” to support opposition parties, a trend he described as worrying because a weakened opposition does not enforce good democracy.

Venaani claimed that a good example was Zimbabwe where business policies are made, and because of the poor opposition, they go through Parliament without being challenged.

He alleged several businesspeople are sticking with the ruling party because they receive government contracts, while the ruling party itself is being funded by some businesspeople and foreign powers.

“State resources are being used by the ruling party, [as a] matter of fact, their campaigns are being bankrolled by China,” Venaani claimed.

Swanu of Namibia president Usutuaije Maamberua, who preferred that his party be referred to as the “government in waiting” instead of opposition party, said Swanu needs N$100 million to mount a successful campaign.

Maamberua, the only Swanu member of parliament, said they need N$100 million, even though he knows they will not get it. Like Venaani, the Swanu president accused the ruling party of misusing state resources.

“Swapo started their election campaigning in 2009 when the election results were announced,” Maamberua.

The ruling party is known for soliciting pledges from businesses at fundraising gala dinner events. For instance, the party’s regional structure in Kavango Region collected about N$900 000 from businesspeople at a gala dinner in November last year.

The event was attended by party presidential candidate Hage Geingob, and the money was for the elections and restructuring of the new region.

Efforts to get comment from the National Unity Democratic Organisation and Congress of Democrats were unsuccessful.

RDP president Hidipo Hamutenya told The Namibian about two weeks ago, that his party estimated that they would need N$5 million for a reasonable campaign.

There were reports last year, however, that RDP was in a precarious financial position, after the party had allegedly failed to pay its workers.

Swapo Secretary General Nangolo Mbumba declined to comment on the issue yesterday as he said he was too busy. However, the ruling party also attracted criticism in 2012 when it allowed well-known businesspeople to pledge not less than N$100 000 per person at a party held at State House for its elective congress.

The event was held after local business personalities and politicians from the northern regions pledged N$2,6 million for that event.

Swapo was also under fire by opposition MPs in 2006 for making bosses of state owned enterprises to pledge public funds, even though the ruling party maintained that it was not the case.