Broke Swapo avoids Fishrot-esque donations
Funders told to expect nothing in return
After Fishrot money bankrolled internal campaigns ahead of the 2017 congress, any donations must now go through the office of the party's secretary for finance.
Swapo vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has cautioned donors who raced to pledge millions of dollars at the party’s gala dinner last week not to expect anything in return, including favours from the government.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the party’s electoral college on Monday, the national presidential hopeful cautioned those who pledged not to expect anything in return for their financial support.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said there is nothing sinister about the N$16 million the party raised from donors because “everything was done openly and those who have a problem can go and audit the books of those who donated”.
A number of businessmen who benefitted handsomely from state contracts were among the biggest donors at the dinner. “To those who want to safeguard this country, make your donations, but do not expect anything in return. All you will get is democracy and processes to continue conducting your business,” she said.
Global practice
“Our detractors want to make us feel guilty for raising funds, but when other parties get money from unknown sources, they are quiet.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah, a seasoned diplomat, said it is a global practice for the business community to fund political entities of their choice.
“We organised a gala dinner and people willingly and voluntarily pledged, but look at the headlines that followed.
"Look across the world how political parties and candidates raise funds from those who want to protect democracy. You do not hear noise about this, but in our case, we are accused of selling democracy. This must stop. Is it because we are Africans? That is not fair,” a visibly irritated Nandi-Ndaitwah fumed.
Fishrot effect
Following the Fishrot scandal, which saw several Swapo benefactors being arrested over alleged corruption charges in 2019, the party introduced a raft of changes to the way it solicits and receives donations.
At the time, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) published regulations on the maximum threshold of monies parties can receive from Namibians, local firms, foreigners and foreign companies before being forced to disclose these amounts via the media.
The late Hage Geingob, party president at the time, then announced that Swapo is undertaking an internal process of review, reform and investigation into past donations. He directed with immediate effect that no Swapo member or sympathiser should solicit donations from any prospective donor, domestic or foreign, without authorisation of the office of the secretary-general.
Geingob also directed that no Swapo member or functionary may, on behalf of the party, accept donations from any source without obtaining authority from the party's secretary for finance and economic affairs, in consultation with the secretary-general.
Another regulation compelled any person or institution - who upon solicitation or on a voluntary basis intends to make a donation to and for the benefit of Swapo or its functionaries - must do so through the office of the party's secretary for finance and economic affairs, in consultation with the secretary-general.
At the time, Geingob said Swapo would appoint a central authority to accept and register donations made to the party. This would enable the party to carry out internal due diligence processes before the formal acceptance of a particular political donation, and to publicly disclose donations exceeding the prescribed thresholds, he said.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of the party’s electoral college on Monday, the national presidential hopeful cautioned those who pledged not to expect anything in return for their financial support.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said there is nothing sinister about the N$16 million the party raised from donors because “everything was done openly and those who have a problem can go and audit the books of those who donated”.
A number of businessmen who benefitted handsomely from state contracts were among the biggest donors at the dinner. “To those who want to safeguard this country, make your donations, but do not expect anything in return. All you will get is democracy and processes to continue conducting your business,” she said.
Global practice
“Our detractors want to make us feel guilty for raising funds, but when other parties get money from unknown sources, they are quiet.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah, a seasoned diplomat, said it is a global practice for the business community to fund political entities of their choice.
“We organised a gala dinner and people willingly and voluntarily pledged, but look at the headlines that followed.
"Look across the world how political parties and candidates raise funds from those who want to protect democracy. You do not hear noise about this, but in our case, we are accused of selling democracy. This must stop. Is it because we are Africans? That is not fair,” a visibly irritated Nandi-Ndaitwah fumed.
Fishrot effect
Following the Fishrot scandal, which saw several Swapo benefactors being arrested over alleged corruption charges in 2019, the party introduced a raft of changes to the way it solicits and receives donations.
At the time, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) published regulations on the maximum threshold of monies parties can receive from Namibians, local firms, foreigners and foreign companies before being forced to disclose these amounts via the media.
The late Hage Geingob, party president at the time, then announced that Swapo is undertaking an internal process of review, reform and investigation into past donations. He directed with immediate effect that no Swapo member or sympathiser should solicit donations from any prospective donor, domestic or foreign, without authorisation of the office of the secretary-general.
Geingob also directed that no Swapo member or functionary may, on behalf of the party, accept donations from any source without obtaining authority from the party's secretary for finance and economic affairs, in consultation with the secretary-general.
Another regulation compelled any person or institution - who upon solicitation or on a voluntary basis intends to make a donation to and for the benefit of Swapo or its functionaries - must do so through the office of the party's secretary for finance and economic affairs, in consultation with the secretary-general.
At the time, Geingob said Swapo would appoint a central authority to accept and register donations made to the party. This would enable the party to carry out internal due diligence processes before the formal acceptance of a particular political donation, and to publicly disclose donations exceeding the prescribed thresholds, he said.
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