Namibia Grapples with Corruption, Ineffective Justice System
Windhoek - Corruption and a lack of transparency are pervasive issues in both the public and private sectors in Namibia, contributing to a high perception of corruption within the country.
Corruption and Ineffective Justice System
The Anti-Corruption Commission has been criticized for its inconsistent approach, while corruption scandals have damaged the reputation of the current government. The media has been uncovering cases of corruption in various ministries, but the justice system rarely takes action against those linked to these cases.
- Lack of transparency and accountability
- Inconsistent approach by the Anti-Corruption Commission
- Corruption scandals damaging government reputation
Judiciary and Law Enforcement
The judiciary is regarded as fairly effective and independent, but concerns about the appointment of judges and corruption scandals have eroded public trust in the ethics of judges. The justice system is burdened by backlogs, and criminal cases are often delayed due to inadequate resources and under-resourcing.
- Concerns over judge appointments and corruption
- Backlogged justice system
- Inadequate resources and under-resourcing
Law enforcement faces a range of challenges, including inadequate training, skills shortages, lack of resources, and corruption. Low salaries and poor accommodation for junior police officials have been identified as factors that impede their ability to perform their duties effectively.
Economic Regulatory Framework and Human Trafficking
Namibia’s economic regulatory framework is adequate, but the over-reliance on government subsidies has resulted in slow economic growth. The country suffers from a highly uneven distribution of income and wealth, making illicit activity attractive to the poorer parts of the population.
- Adequate economic regulatory framework
- Over-reliance on government subsidies leading to slow economic growth
- Uneven distribution of income and wealth
Civil Society and Whistleblowers
Civil society organizations have been actively involved in providing support to victims of human trafficking and fighting corruption at both the public and private levels. However, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on civil society has been evident.
- Active involvement in combating human trafficking and corruption
- Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on civil society
The country’s borders are not fully secure, with weak border controls and porous areas, particularly along the Angolan and Zambian borders. Smuggling of illegal goods such as fuel, liquor, and hardwood is widespread, and drug trafficking is increasing.
Money Laundering and Crime Prevention
Namibia has legislation in place to combat money laundering, but the country still struggles with under-resourcing and a failing judiciary, which hampers efforts to prevent financial crimes. The government has not allocated funds to establish a whistleblowers office, and commitment to doing so is low.
- Legislation in place to combat money laundering
- Under-resourcing and failing judiciary hindering efforts to prevent financial crimes
Media Landscape
The country’s media landscape is considered stable, with an evolving organizational capacity and advocacy. However, the actual capacity of some media institutions, particularly the state-run broadcaster, has been in decline for years due to mismanagement.
- Stable media landscape
- Decline in actual capacity of some media institutions
Social media has proven to be far more effective at exposing wrongdoing due to its prevalence, while print media sales are in decline. Pro-government media organizations are receiving an ever-lingering share of advertising revenue, threatening the financial prospects of privately owned media and independent news coverage.
- Social media effective at exposing wrongdoing
- Decline in print media sales
- Threats to financially sustainable media due to government influence