What is a Political Party?

A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a specific country’s elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or policy goals.

How To Register A Political Party In Namibia

Registration For New A Political Party

A. According to Section 135(2)(a) of the Electoral Act 5 of 2014 the principal object of a political party should be to participate in and promote elections under the Act, including:

• The nomination of persons as candidates for any such elections in accordance with the provisions of the Act;
• The canvassing for votes for a candidate at any such elections;
• The devotion of any of its funds or any part thereof to the election expenses of any candidate taking part in an election;

B. Objects of a political party:

• May not be prejudicial to the security of the State, sovereignty and integrity, the public safety, welfare or the peace and good order;
• May not be contrary to the laws of Namibia;
• May not exclude or restrict membership on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status;
• May not use or include words, slogans or symbols which could give rise to division on any basis specified in the above mentioned paragraph;
• May not provide for discriminatory practices contrary to the Namibian constitution or any other law;
• May not accept or advocate the use of force or violence as a means of attaining its political objectives;
• May not advocate or aim to carry on its political activities exclusively on one part of Namibia;
• May not advocate or aim to carry on its political activities on the grounds or sex, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status;
• Must provide for regular, periodic and open election of its office bearers.

C. A person who is not a Namibian citizen may not be appointed to and may not accept appointment as an elected office-bearer of a political party.

D. Furthermore, the application must be accompanied by:

• Written proof of the principal objects and other objects of the applicant contemplated in section 135(2)(a) and (b). (Explained in A and B above)
• Proof of payment of the amount of N$ 25 000 for registration;
• A copy of the party’s constitution; and
• A declaration signed by at least 3500 persons, distributed evenly from a minimum of seven of the regions in Namibia (i.e. 500 per region) whose names appear on the national voters’ register to the effect that these voters support the registration of the political party. This declaration must also contain the full names and voter registration numbers of the persons who have signed the declaration and the names and number of the regions and constituencies in respect of which the signatories are registered.

E. In addition, the following particulars must appear on the application form:

• The name of the political party;
• An abbreviation of its name to appear on the ballot paper for an election concerned, the abbreviated name of the political party;
• The full names and signature of the person who for the purposes of the Act is the proposed authorized representative of the political party;
• A complete list of the names and addresses of its other proposed office-bearers;
• The proposed business address and postal address in Namibia of the proposed office which for the purposes of this Act is the office of the proposed authorized representative of the political party; and
• The political party symbol to appear on the ballot paper referred to above, the distinctive symbol of the political party.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What political parties are in Namibia?

Congress of Democrats (CoD), National Democratic Party (NDP), Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP), National Patriotic Front (Namibia) (NPF)

How many members are in the National Assembly of Namibia?

Its laws must be approved by the National Council, the upper house. Since 2014, it has a total of 104 members. 96 members are directly elected through a system of closed list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Eight additional members are appointed by the President.

How do you form a political party in Namibia?

To qualify a new political party by voter registration requires that voters equal in number to at least 0.33 percent of the total number of voters registered on the 154th day before the primary election or the 123rd day before the presidential general election complete an affidavit of registration, disclosing a preference by writing in the name of the political body intending to qualify as a political party. (Elec. Code, §§ 5100(b), 5151(c).)

These completed affidavits of registration must be submitted to the county elections officials 154 days prior to any primary election (if intending to qualify to participate in the next primary election) or 123 days before a presidential general election (if intending to qualify to participate in the next presidential general election). (Elec. Code, §§ 2187(c)(1), (c)(4).) The completed affidavits of registration should be submitted to the election’s official in the counties of the voters’ residences. 

How many political parties do we have in Namibia?

Namibia has about 40 political groups, ranging from modern political parties to traditional groups based on tribal authority.

Is AR a political party in Namibia?

The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement was registered for the 2020 local elections as an association in the urban centres of Windhoek, Walvis Bay and Swakopmund. It gained two seats in the Windhoek municipality and won the 2020 mayoral election with Job Amupanda.

What is the function of the judicial branch of Namibia?

It has inherent jurisdiction over all legal matters in Namibia. It adjudicates, according to art 79 of the Constitution, appeals emanating from the High Court, including appeals which involve the interpretation, implementation and upholding of the Constitution and the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed therein.

Is Namibia a poor country?

Rated as a high middle income country, Namibia’s poverty and inequality levels are among the highest. About 28.7% of the population is poor while 15% are extremely poor. Poverty is highest in rural (37%) than in urban areas (15%). It is also high among women (32%) than man (26%).

What is the number of elections administered in Namibia?

Namibia is a semi-presidential representative democratic republic. It runs direct elections every five years for the position of the president and seats in the National Assembly, and every six years for the Regional Councils and the distribution of seats in local authorities.

How many electoral constituencies are there in Namibia?

Each of the 14 regions of Namibia is further subdivided into electoral constituencies. The size of the constituencies varies with the size and population of each region. There are currently 121 constituencies in Namibia.

What is the supreme law of the country in Namibia?

The Namibian Constitution came into force on the eve of the country’s independence as the supreme law of the country, therefore, the ultimate source of law in Namibia. All other laws in Namibia trace their legitimacy and source from the Constitution.

Is affirmative repositioning a political party in Namibia?

Affirmative Repositioning, commonly known by its abbreviation AR, is a leftist political movement in Namibia mainly focusing on land reform. The Affirmative Repositioning movement had threatened to take the land by force had the applications not have been processed and approved by July 2015 in the local municipalities.

What is the highest authority in Namibia?

The National Assembly is established in terms of Article 44 of the Constitution as the highest law making body of Namibia. It consists of 72 elected and six appointed members who meet regularly to initiate and approve laws.

What is the rule of law in Namibia?

(1) The Republic of Namibia is hereby established as a sovereign, secular, democratic and unitary State founded upon the principles of democracy, the rule of law and justice for all. 1. The country must be governed by law, not by force. The law must treat everyone equally.

Does Namibia have a court higher than the Supreme Court?

“The Courts shall be independent and subject only to this Constitution and the law.” Supreme Court, the High Court and the Lower Courts. The highest court in Namibia is the Supreme Court, which is located in Windhoek. The head of this court is called the Chief Justice.