Presidency Is Trashing The System

NAMIBIANS witnessed two contrasting events this week.President Hage Geingob summarily appointed former veterans affairs deputy minister Hilma Nicanor as an adviser to the vice president on Tuesday, three weeks after she was obliged to resign as deputy minister by the national elections regulator.

Contrast this with media reports this week highlighting how more than 100 000 Namibians scrambled for 850 jobs in the last six months.

Nicanor and 15 other Swapo members stepped down to comply with regulations set out in the Electoral Act. In the interest of strengthening Namibia’s democratic process, it prohibits people who work in the public service and councillors from running for the National Assembly.

Geingob – who believes in accountability and transparency – did not even announce Nicanor’s appointment. It came to light through the letter of appointment being leaked.

The president’s Nicanor appointment appears to sum up his approach: That of a magician who creates jobs for his allies when he wants to, and turning State House into a hotbed of highly paid presidential advisers.

In Nicanor’s case, it could cost taxpayers up to N$300 000 over the next six months [N$48 000 a month].

The president does not get it, does he?

On the other hand, the president is promising a smaller Cabinet next year if voted back into power. How can taxpayers believe this promise, given the Nicanor case?

Disappointingly, it is also a sign of a deeper problem. The public is no stranger to the ruling party Swapo abusing state resources, come election time.

One of the most notable examples is the use of government vehicles at Swapo rallies, and for other election events. While it is not new, it has become so commonplace with each passing election that it is now all but ‘the new normal’.

This dulling of our democratic instincts is not healthy for democracy. Taxpayers should be outraged. Civil society groups should be up in arms. And Swapo should know better.

The president has spent most of the last four weeks campaigning. It has intensified to the extent that he has held campaign sessions during working hours. To his credit, he is using a private vehicle.

However, that does not take away from the fact that the official escorts and state officials around him are working on state time. Does he or his entourage take leave to attend these rallies? Is Swapo going to repay the government for the use of state resources?

As it is, the party receives more than N$100 million a year from the government, based on the number of seats it holds in the National Assembly.

In 2015, the government increased the amount per parliamentary seat political parties receive – from N$390 000 per seat to N$960 000.

Overall, the ruling party has received close to N$500 million over the past five years.

In the interest of a stronger democracy, Swapo and other parties should foot their own election expenses.

It would also show good faith if the government considered dissolving parliament two months before elections, as happens in Botswana – this would help level the playing field for candidates competing in the elections. It would also help eliminate potential conflicts of interest.

Namibia’s democracy was won at a high price. We cannot abuse its structures for personal or party gain. We run the risk of making a mockery of our inheritance, and gambling away our future.