ACC removed from PM patronage
Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi on Wednesday announced the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will be removed from the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister to ensure the independent functioning of the commission.
According to Katjavivi, Cabinet took a decision to place the ACC under authority of the Office of the Speaker in the National Assembly as is the case with the Electoral Commission of Namibia. This arrangement, he said, will ensure the ACC functions independently from the Office of the Prime Minister.
“The autonomy of the ACC requires that it conducts its business and makes its decisions without influence from any institution,” Katjavivi said, adding that in future, all reports emanating from ACC after being tabled in the National Assembly will be referred to the relevant parliamentary committee for scrutiny.
Katjavivi further said Section 2(1) of the
Anti-Corruption Act, 2003 (Act No 8 of 2003), emphasises the independence and impartiality of the ACC.
“A corrupt-free Namibia remains the vision of the ACC and the ACC will do what is necessary to reach it. The ACC will continue to lead the fight against corruption through effective law enforcement and the implementation of preventative measures,” he added.
ACC Director Paulus Noa said while the decision has not been communicated to his office yet, it does not come as a surprise, as there have been calls, including by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila to distance the ACC from her office and the executive.
He said, as it stands, ACC submits all its financial reports and budget statement to the prime minister for tabling in Parliament, which has created the impression that they report to the prime minister’s office.
“We never accounted to the prime minister. There is not much involvement
of the prime minister’s office in our functions, apart from tabling our reports and budgets, but the call has been that these be discontinued so as to not create the impression to the public that the executive is involved in our functions. There should
be a clear separation of power,” Noa said.
Executive Director in the Office of the Prime Minister I-Ben Nashandi said the decision was taken in principle only as it first needs to be effected by law before it becomes effective.