The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has raised concerns with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) over a perceived lack of transparency in Namibia regarding the ballot printing tender.
The IPPR pointed out that when comparing the amount spent by the ECN on the tender with the budget outlined in its annual procurement plan, it becomes clear that the commission exceeded its initial estimate by more than 100%.
According to the ECN’s procurement plan, N$2.9 million was anticipated for the printing of ballot papers and election materials. However, the commission awarded a N$6.3 million contract to Ren-Form, a South African firm.
“The ECN must provide clarification on the cost of the contract, specifically addressing the increase in costs from the initial estimate to the final amount,” the IPPR urged. In a statement released on 18 October 2024, the ECN denied allegations of corruption in awarding the tender to Ren-Form, asserting that the total contract cost is N$6,259,686.
“This is more than double what the ECN had estimated six months ago for the cost of printing the ballot papers,” said Frederico Links from the IPPR when launching this month’s procurement tracker.
“The difference between the two figures is N$3,355,686, which is nearly N$500,000 more than the ECN’s initial estimate for the ballot printing contract. The final contract value is 116% higher than the original estimate.”
Links questioned the ECN’s planning and costing, noting that discrepancies between estimated and actual costs reflect poor preparation. He also highlighted the importance of contractor integrity, adherence to timelines, and proper costing for a contract.
When asked about the reasons for awarding the tender to Ren-Form, the ECN stated that the company met the requirements but did not explain why a local company was not considered for the contract.
“The ECN’s decision to award the contract to Ren-Form has cast doubt on the integrity of the upcoming elections and, by all indications, has further eroded public trust in the ECN, which already suffers from declining confidence, as indicated by Afrobarometer,” Links added.
To date, the ECN has not provided a clear explanation for why it directly procured Ren-Form for the ballot printing job, nor has it clarified the extent to which it considered serious allegations publicly levelled against the company. The ECN has only stated that it conducted a “comprehensive evaluation process” before awarding the contract under Section 33(3)(b) of the Public Procurement Act of 2015, though the details of this process remain unclear.
Despite the ECN’s lack of transparency, the law stipulates in Section 33(4) that public entities must submit a report to the Policy Unit for emergency procurements, detailing the reasons for or circumstances surrounding the need for such procurement.
On Sunday, ECN spokesperson De Wet Siluka provided an update on the ballot printing process for the Presidential and National Assembly (PNA) elections. “The production process for the ballot papers for the November 2024 PNA has been completed. This includes verification, binding, packaging, and sign-off by the authorised representatives of the presidential candidates and members of the National Assembly,” Siluka said. Details regarding the arrival of the delegation and the delivery of the ballot papers were to be communicated the following day.
Media Ombudsman John Nakuta criticised both the media and civil society for not holding the ECN accountable for failing to provide necessary information proactively. He stated that the media has become too reactive and encouraged journalists to investigate issues of public interest more deeply, rather than simply reporting on surface-level stories.
“I urge the media to engage in more in-depth investigative reporting, to better inform the public, and to put pressure on politicians to adhere to the law,” Nakuta said.
While acknowledging the ECN’s efforts to communicate with the public, Nakuta pointed out that their approach often only meets the minimum requirements. “They need to be more proactive in disclosing information,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has approved a budget of N$20 million for the establishment of the Office of the Information Commissioner, which is intended to promote transparency, accountability, good governance, and access to information. However, IPPR’s Links expressed concern that the office may not be established in time, given that Parliament is set to go into recess in a few weeks.
“The office is unlikely to be established by December, even though the budget allocation has been made,” Links said. “Had the office been set up, it would have been able to address issues like this, as citizens would have the right to request answers from the ECN.”
In response to inquiries by New Era, ICT Minister Emma Theofelus confirmed that the draft regulations related to the appointment of the Information Commissioner have been submitted to the Ministry of Justice for gazetting. She stated that feedback is awaited from the Ministry of Justice, but no timeframe has been provided for when the regulations will be gazetted, or when the office will be established.
“There’s no timeframe,” Theofelus remarked. “It could be tomorrow, next year, or even 20 years from now.”
