SPOT THE DIFFERENCE3rd EDITION PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2019 WHOGETS YOUR VOTE? MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION Empowered lives. Resilient nations. 2 SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 2019 DISCLAIMER Between June and August, 2019, all seventeen political parties that were registered with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), had been engaged to complete an interview questionnaire. Provision for face-to-face interviews had been arranged to take place in the first two weeks of August for those parties that could not meet the submittal deadline for the completed questionnaire. The questionnaire incorporated six questions addressing topical, socio-economic and political issues that were formulated to ensure that the Namibian electorate would be assisted to make informed decisions during the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly Elections. The decision to profile 13 political parties in this publication was based on their willingness to respond to the interview questions. Considering that a three-month period had been specified and communicated to all 17 parties, no political party was subjected to discrimination nor deliberately excluded from being featured herein IMPRINT Coordinators: NID (Naita Hishoono, Pandu Nghipandulwa) HSF (Dr Clemens von Doderer, Susanne Scholz) NMH (Carolin Guriras) UNDP (Geraldine Itana) Spot the Difference Editor: Rakkel Andreas is an NID publication Layout and design: NMH funded by HSF and Printing: Newsprint Namibia UNDP Publication date: October 2019 This publication is published by the Namibia Media Holdings (Pty) Ltd SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 2019 3 TABLE OF CONTENT 1. Prologue by the Chairperson of the Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID), Mr Kavena Hambira (P4) 2. Foreword by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Hon. Prof. Peter H. Katjavivi (P5) 3. ECN Message by Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Theo Mujoro (P6) 4. Message by “i-Vote Namibia” Campaign Ambassadors (P7-8) 5. Spotlight on Political Parties (P9-22) 6. Spot the Difference (P23-27) 7. Know your 2019 Presidential Candidates (P28) 8. Recap on the 2014 Election Result (P30) 9. Brief Profile of each Partner Organisation (P31) 4 SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 2019 PROLOGUE BY THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NAMIBIA INSTITUTE FOR DEMOCRACY (NID) In November 2019, Namibian citizens who are eligible will have an opportunity to par- ticipate in the nation’s sixth round of Presiden- tial and Parliamentary Elections. As Namibia approaches 30 years of independence, we must take time to reflect on her system of proportional representation. Article 17 of the Constitution guarantees the right of each citi- zen, who has reached the age of eighteen, to vote. Despite this privilege, a large portion of the electorate remains apathetic or simply does not exercise its democratic right. Namibia’s population is top-heavy, with youth as the largest segment of the electorate, yet this group is the least likely to participate in the electoral process. After careful investi- gation, the Namibia Institute for Democracy (NID) launched the “i-Vote Namibia” voter- education campaign to increase public par- ticipation and help strengthen the country’s democracy. Now in its third edition, the “Spot the Difference” publication is a critical com- ponent of the “i-Vote Namibia” campaign. This volume has been carefully compiled to represent the broadest views of all 17 politi- cal parties registered with the Electoral Com- mission of Namibia (ECN) equitably. The NID team has taken great care to invite all politi- cal parties to participate and to profile them- selves meticulously. In addition, our research- ers solicited detailed responses through interview questionnaires. The review provides a succinct overview of the Namibian political landscape and the publication, in turn, serves as a reminder to the Namibian people that Mr Kavena Hambira participation in the electoral process is vital to sustaining Namibia’s democracy. SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 2019 5 FOREWORD BY THE SPEAKER OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Our Constitution guarantees inclusivity through such persons to represent and address their the system of proportional representation concerns on matters of societal and national and so far, we have held five parliamentary interest. Therefore when citizens vote, they and presidential elections since we attained are exercising their democratic right to entrust independence in 1990. All these elections leadership to persons they feel can ably were accepted by both regional and attend to critical matters in our midst. international observers as free and fair. This year, 2019, specifically during the month of On the question of youth inclusivity in the November, we are due to hold our sixth round voting process, the youth are also citizens of parliamentary and presidential elections, and furthermore, they form the largest proving that Namibia is committed to regular percentage of the population. In addition, and credible elections. most of the challenges in society primarily affect the youth. Therefore, the youth should This is a period during which citizens get a partake in electing leaders they feel will chance to choose their President and the articulate and address these challenges. The members in the National Assembly as a right process of voting also inculcates democratic afforded all eligible citizens of the country. culture amongst the youth, which is important Article 17 of the Namibian Constitution because they will be the leaders of the future. specifies, and I quote: Pre-independence Namibia did not provide these opportunities and since then, we have “All citizens shall have the right to participate relentlessly strived to make sure the country in peaceful activity intended to influence the promotes peaceful co-existence in line with composition and policies of Government. our policy of national reconciliation. All citizens shall have the right to form and join political parties and, subject to such Fellow citizens, November 2019 is just around qualifications prescribed by law as necessary the corner. I urge you all to vote wisely and in a democratic society, to participate in the peacefully and by so doing, fulfil your right conduct of public affairs, whether directly or as stipulated in Articles 17 and 21 of the through freely chosen representative(s). Every Constitution of the Republic of Namibia. citizen who has reached the age of eighteen Indeed, we are all encouraged by the large (18) years shall have the right to vote and number of newly registered voters during the who has reached the age of twenty-one (21) ECN’s recent voter-registration exercise. Long years to be elected to public office, unless live the Republic of Namibia! otherwise provided by herein.” As one of the founding fathers of the Namibian Constitution, and as the Speaker of the National Assembly, I can only reiterate the importance of citizens utilising their right and mandate to participate in the democratic process. The election process in particular, is an important process where inclusivity should be ensured so as to promote participatory democracy and good governance. The National Parliament has three core functions, viz., representation, legislation and oversight. When citizens vote their leaders into Mr Hon. Prof. Peter H. Katjavivi Parliament, they vest trust and confidence in 6 SPOT THE DIFFERENCE 2019 ECN MESSAGE BY THE CHIEF ELECTORAL AND REFERANDA OFFICER Democracy recognises that Registration of Voters that took people are the highest authority. place between 8 and 27 July, Article 1(2) of the Namibian 2019, the ECN consulted the Constitution specifically states Namibian Statistics Agency (NSA) that “all power shall vest in the regarding numerical statistics for people of Namibia who shall eligible voters. Using medium- exercise their sovereignty through variant-projected population the democratic institutions of the figures, it was estimated that state.” In addition, Article 17 of the about 300,000 Namibian citizens Namibian Constitution also states would have reached the eligible that all Namibian citizens have age of 18 years or older, following the right to take part in peaceful, the General Registration of Voters political activities. This includes the (GRV) that took place in 2014 and right to join existing political parties the Supplementary Registration or to form new political parties. It of Voters that was conducted in also includes the right to participate 2015. As of 3 July 2019, the national in public affairs directly or through Mr Theo Mujoro voters register stood at 1,235,020 elected representatives. registered voters. Therefore, every Namibian citizen, who is at Provisional statistics compiled following the least 18 years of age, has the right to vote. 2019 Supplementary Registration of Voters Furthermore, every Namibian citizen who is indicate that the ECN has registered a at least 21 years of age may be elected to total number of 255,830 eligible Namibians political office. Namibians are the source of in-country, inclusive of all regions in the power, and all laws, rules and decisions must country. The ECN has further registered a reflect the will of the people. In a democracy, total number of 734 eligible Namibians at citizens have a primary responsibility and designated registration points, at diplomatic play a key role in influencing and setting their missions abroad, bringing the total to 256,564 country’s agenda. registered voters accounted for during the entire registration period. Voting is one of the most important rights of citizens. When citizens collectively elect