The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) has expressed concern about Namibia’s anti-graft institutions with overlapping roles.
The APRM said the lack of clear distinction between various anti-corruption institutions’ functions hinders their effectiveness by impeding synergy.
“Some duplication of anti-corruption efforts particularly by the two anti-corruption fighting institutions, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Ombudsman was observed. The review panel, therefore encourages the Government to find ways to create synergy and efficiency amongst the ACC, the Ombudsman, the Financial Intelligence Centre, law enforcement agencies, the Office of the Prosecutor General and other key stakeholders engaged in the fight against corruption in the country,” the APRM said.
“Moreover, the institutions have attracted some negative perception from the media and the society in general for allegedly targeting only small-scale corruption while ignoring that of politically connected individuals in the country.”
These findings and recommendations are contained in the APRM report launched last week by President Nangolo Mbumba. The report was undertaken between October and November 2021.
The APRM is an African-led platform for self-assessment, peer-learning, and experience-sharing in democracy and good governance, in full compliance with democratic principles, human rights, rule of law, and the acceleration of political, social and efforts at economic integration in Africa.
Its primary purpose is to promote the adoption of policies, standards and practices that can lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated regional and continental economic integration through the codes and standards contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.
The APRM report revealed that some non-state stakeholders have suggested that the public loss of confidence in these institutions has made it difficult for them to perform their duties effectively, and weakened their efforts to fight corruption and money laundering.
“These institutions also complained of lack of feedback from authorities on the efforts against corruption.”
The panel also recommended that decisions on whether or not to prosecute cases of corruption should be made by officials who are protected from undue pressure.
“There are also challenges in the institutional framework to protect whistle-blowers. Namibia’s Whistle Blowers Act is not yet being implemented and does not provide incentives to and for whistle-blowers. Even if this Act is implemented, these deficits may discourage people from reporting corruption, money laundering and similar criminal activity,” the report read.
