Thread: Millions needed for election campaign: Parties

WINDHOEK – Political parties say they need million of dollars to campaign vigorously if they are to win the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections in November. New Era spoke to political parties about their budgets, their campaign activities and how they are raising campaign money.

All People’s Party (APP)

“We have a budget that can’t be met, our members are poor,” Ignatius Shixwameni, the APP President says. The party needs about N$800 000 for its campaign. According to Shixwameni, the party has been going around asking for money from businesses.

“Many people are afraid to fund APP. We hope a Good Samaritan will throw in something. We are appealing to Namibians to support democracy,” Shixwameni adds.

The party currently funds activities from “own pocket”, especially from the leaders and some members. The campaign activities entail house-to-house visits, meetings and travels in the regions. Shixwameni says the party does not receive any funding from anyone.

“We are a local party and hope local people will support us. But we will not say no if somebody throws us a lifeline of say a million. Then we will be able to win the elections,” the APP President concludes.

Congress of Democrats (CoD)

The CoD will need N$100 000 to N$200 000 for its campaign.
“But as a political party represented in all regions of the country we will at least need N$3 million but we don’t even have ten per cent of that,” Natjirikasorua Tjirera, the party spokesperson, says. The party is, however, of the opinion that N$4 million will win it the government. “We want to paint Namibia blue, yellow and white, we want to reach each and every town and village in Namibia,” Tjirera adds.

The party urges Namibians to contribute to its campaign, especially supporters and members who are the loyal source of income for the party.
“We do not get any outside sources,” the CoD representative says.

Democratic Party of Namibia (DPN)

“We don’t have money, we are pooling own resources, through braaing. Our campaign will be hampered due to financial resources,” says DPN Secretary General Adam Isaak. The party is struggling to even get membership fees, while the members according to Isaak expect it to provide food and beverages at meetings.

“Namibians are not mature to pay for democracy. We are struggling to get membership fees. The party says it will need N$2 million for an effective national campaign.

“Business people are afraid that if they sponsor opposition parties, they will lose out on tenders, thus they have to secure their business interests. Namibian politics is very primitive,” Isaak states. For now, the party will only target main towns around the country, although their support base is mostly in the rural areas. The reason for the limited campaigns according to him is the limited financial resources.

Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, DTA of Namibia

The DTA will only divulge their election campaign budget next week as it is still consolidating what it has spent and is still going to spend.

The party will be involved in door-to-door campaigns, printing pocket manifestos, staging rallies, travels and cost of SMSes, websites, Facebook.

“We are at the Windhoek Show, we are marketing professionally,” McHenry Venaani says.

According to him, a third of the budget will go towards the printing of several materials while travelling will also take a big chunk of the budget.

Apart from the government grant, the party sources its funds from sympathisers in the business community. The party plans to have a big fundraising event when it celebrates its 32nd year anniversary on November 1.

Monitor Action Group (MAG)

MAG has N$140 000 set aside for its elections campaign. The money comes from State coffers.

According to MAG Chairperson, Kosie Pretorius, the party is not concentrating on meetings and gatherings and is also not making use of fulltime paid organisers.

The party uses e-mails, newspaper articles, electronic media and pamphlets that are distributed through NamPost to campaign.

“We get only N$332 000 per annum compared to the Swapo Party that gets N$19 million from the State, so we don’t have a lot of money,” Pretorius says.

Namibia Democratic Movement for Change (NDMC)

The NDMC estimates that it needs not less than N$2 million for its election campaign. According to NDMC Secretary General, Joseph Kauandenge, the money is needed for travel, printing T-shirts and buying cars, at least six of them.

“We should at least reach half the amount. We are somehow close to reaching half of the N$2 million,” Kauandenge says.

The party solicits money through fundraising, from friends and the international community.
“I can’t mention who but we are also doing raffle tickets that we are selling and get money from anonymous donors,” the NDMC Secretary General adds.

Republican Party (RP)

“No way I will not divulge any information on the amount,” RP President Henk Mudge says. According to Mudge, theirs is a very tight budget, as they are paying for manifestos, T-shirts as well as for travels for the organisers.

The party’s money is coming from supporters and members inside the country, besides money from government that all parties represented in the National Assembly receive.

South West Africa National Union (Swanu)

Swanu will at least need N$2 million to campaign effectively but will only be able to raise N$30 000 for the campaign.

According to party President, Usutuaije Maamberua, they will prioritise door-to-door campaigns during the elections. Swanu does not get money from the government unlike parties represented in Parliament and sources its funds from members and supporters. Campaign methods and activities will be the printing of pamphlets, posters and T-shirts as well as travel.

The party has already done a lot of travelling since May 2009 although it has little money.
“Our headache is what is supposed to be the free airtime that we are supposed to be getting from the NBC. The NBC is discriminating against us. Our weekend activities were even not broadcast,” Maamberua says.

South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo Party of Namibia)

The Swapo Party declined to comment on the question.
“No, we are not telling the opposition what we are doing. It’s not for the public. We cannot be compared to other political projects. We are not at the same level,” the Swapo Secretary for Information and Mobilisation, Jerry Ekandjo says.

According to Ekandjo, how they organise themselves and how they reach their people is their business. “Our aim is to meet them on November 27 and 28. Budget or no budget,” Ekandjo adds.

United Democratic Front (UDF)

The UDF at least needs N$800 000 to campaign during the coming elections.

Dudu Murorua, the Secretary General of the party says its main source of income is its members and supporters and what they get from the State. “Since its inception, the UDF has never received anything (money) from donors. People are promising but never come forth,” Murorua says.

The UDF plans to conduct door-to-door campaigns, while using party members’ vehicles for travel during campaigns. The UDF will provide fuel for the vehicles. According to Murorua, the party also uses live bands to campaign.

National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo of Namibia)

Nudo needs N$350 000 for campaigning during the elections.

“What we get from government is peanuts. The ruling party is privileged to get money from business people. Those must be thoroughly checked,” says Nudo President, Kuaima Riruako.

According to Riruako, opposition parties cannot campaign on equal footing with the ruling party that receives huge amounts from private entities.

“Business people are not ashamed to give ruling party money, that’s a problem. Government should see that it is fair and free. There is a law that prevents political parties from receiving money from abroad but the ruling party is getting money,” the Nudo President states.

Riruako refuses to reveal what campaign activities the party will engage in.

“I don’t have any activity to announce. I can’t, for what purpose, to equalise with whom? There is no equal politics,” Riruako fumes.

Rally for Democracy (RDP)

The RDP does not have money and only relies on support from its sympathisers and supporters.

“To be effective, we at least need N$8 million to N$10 million. We are a new party and do not receive money from the State,” the RDP Director General for Administration, Libolly Haufiku, says.

Haufiku wishes the country’s laws were different so that each political party taking part in the election would receive money from the State, irrespective of their parliamentary status, citing Angola as an example in this regard. “There are promises from people to give money but until you have the money in your account, you are not secured,” Haufiku noted.

Campaign activities involve rallies, posters across the country, the newsletter, electronic media, and house-to-house campaigns.


New Era