A Haven For Freedom Of Speech

May 2008 | Ratings Update

According to Freedom House, Namibia's press freedom is one of the highest guarded in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The NGO stated that Namibia is one of only five states in SSA that fall into the 'free' category (while other countries' media is considered to be partly free or heavily managed by the government). Embedded in Namibia's Constitution and reinforced by the 2005 Freedom of Information Act, the independent press bodes well for the country's democratic credentials and is probably a supportive reason for Namibia's relatively low corruption levels, with only Botswana, South Africa and Mauritius faring better in Transparency International's 2007 Corruption Perception Index.

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