Who are Namibia’s main security actors and what are their respective roles and functions in security governance? How effective is Namibia’s security governance in terms of democratic norms? This paper from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung explores the relationship between security actors and the state in Namibia. It argues that the character of Namibia’s security sector signifies that the country is still in a transition phase towards consolidating its democracy.
Namibia meets many of the criteria associated with democratic security sector governance. It has a robust legal and policy framework for security actors, political oversight of the sector and relatively clear systems for policy planning and budgeting. Security organisations are accountable to elected civil authorities, operate in accordance with international and domestic constitutional law, and have a relatively clear division of responsibilities. However, Namibia’s security sector governance does fall short in some respects, with democratic deficits including weaker legislative oversight compared to that of the executive. Information about the security sector is often not widely available, while both security sector organisations and civil society have limited capacity to perform their roles.
The security sector in Namibia includes the following actors:
- The Namibia Defence Force (NDF), consisting of an army, air force and navy. The NDF is overseen and managed by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which consists of six directorates and two divisions with relatively clear divisions of labour.
- The Namibian Police Force (NAMPOL), under the control of the Ministry of Home Affairs. NAMPOL consists of six divisions, including the Special Field Force (SFF) which is made up of demobilised ex-combatants.
- The Namibia Central Intelligence Service (NCIS), located in the Office of the President. Its functions include collecting and analysing information on threats to national security and advising the President on security intelligence policies.
- Private security enterprises. Since independence, Namibia has seen a significant growth in the activities of private security enterprises. These are regulated by the Security Enterprises and Security Officers Regulation Board (SESORB).
- Vigilante Groups. Apartheid South Africa established a number of vigilante groups in Namibia before independence. More recently, Epango, a vigilante group, was founded in the belief that NAMPOL did not act on crimes such as stock theft.
- Constitutional provisions provide for effective subordination of the NDF to civilian political control. However, the executive plays a much greater role than the legislature in oversight and control.
- NAMPOL puts a strong emphasis on community policing. The SFF, however, seems more ‘militarised’ than other elements of NAMPOL. Its lines of authority are not clear and it has been criticised for lack of professionalism and training.
- Constitutional provisions provide lines of authority for governance of the NCIS, as well as accountability to elected civil authorities. However, accountability to the executive is more firmly established than legislative and civil society oversight.
- Legislation provides for robust democratic political control over private security providers, including both legislative and executive oversight. SESORB has clearly defined powers, duties and functions and provides a clear policy framework.
- Despite difficulties, civil society organisations and the media are able to report and comment on security and defence issues. Their capacity to monitor the security sector, however, is limited.
