How should political parties be funded in Africa?

This is not just an African question. Politicians the world over are forever trying to get the tax payers to fund them. When I am applying for a job, I fund my job search activities. When politicians want to stand for parliament (i.e. applying for a job in their chosen profession), they want the rest of us to fund them. I could understand if being an MP was a voluntary unpaid position, but it is one of the highest paid jobs in most countries. It is probably the only job where the workers decide how much they get paid.
Yes all parties/candidates should be expected to spend the same amount. Why should someone spend over a £1million for a job that pays £70,000 a year? This may lead some of us to ask the question, how they intend to recoup their investment. When I am applying for a job that pays £20,000, I will spend £1 making and posting the application, if invited for interview, I will spend £20 on travel and getting my clothes cleaned – because I know that if appointed I will recoup my investment on my first pay cheque. I would never dream of spending £50,000 as I know that even if I get the job, I will have a big debt to pay off before I can see any benefit of the job.
Politicians should fund themselves, be they party politicians or independents. How much they spend should be rigorously monitored to ensure a level playing field.
Unfortunately politicians decide legislation on political funding/spending, so it will never be tough enough to prevent illegal spending.

Political funding in Africa and indeed in many parts of the world is a torny affair. It will be great for political party funding to be done in a transparent manner but it's almost an impossibility in many African countries because of poor accountability mechanisms in the systems. If it's difficult to track governments funds in some areas,I just wonder what the situation will be for political party funds!
With respect to the funding source, it would have been better to political parties to cough-out their campaign funds but that will place a number of opposition parties at a disadvantage because for my African countries, there is no clear difference between ruling party funds and government funds. As such, whether parties are funded from public or private money, it would make much of a difference for incumbents as they will always deep their hands into the public purse.
Legislation on political party funding for most African countries is just as good as the papers printed on them because most just can't track or even prevent illegal funding. If the developed countries with strong accountability mechanisms within their systems are struggling with these issues, what more of African countries with their chaotic systems?

Chi Primus C.
[Personal details removed by Moderator]

Very interesting indeed. Why should the states money be used in satisfying the "elites" to gain their own political wishes when they come into power they will be manipulating us here and there. Infact, i really perceived the political institution as a structure that should be very transparent because before a president or members of parliament are elected, the masses ensure that each person elected has what it takes-talking about the intellectual capacity to move the nation forward but that is not what we are experiencing now in our various countries! though the government in power will use the state money in financing other stuffs, I don't believe so much money needs to be spent on those things.
Things should be very flexible.

What an utterly pointless question. The problem with my continent has nothing to do with who funds which political party in which country or by how much. Neither does it have anything to do with "elections" or the absence of it. It is entirely to do with the calibre of individuals that always end up in positions of leadership. And this is where the focus should be on. Why does Africa keep producing an infinitely greater number of atrocious rulers than anywhere else on earth?

You can have any set of rules you like, but in a cultural environment where only the very worst elements only ever emerge as "leaders," those rules will always be circumvented - with ease.

When you say "political parties" you make it sounds as if the African continent is awashed with multi party system. This is not the case at all. Lately, many countries in Africa have been forced by donors to hold elections and allow opposition parties to participate however, almost all of the opposition parties have been marginalised in terms of access to national media, restricted and intimidated in organising fund raising events and most of all, allowed very little or none in some cases; of state finance whilst the ruling parties have bottom less pit for their campaign. So, the point here is political parties in Africa do not have a level playing field in the first place let alone decide who should fund whom.

This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

Elections in Africa and elsewhere should be funded by the people. Elections are not supposed to be won with whoever has more money.

I think if political parties are not funded, how will they get money to run such parties? I believe political parties should be funded however, how will the government ensure that individuals who fund parties do not use that as a means to control the party should such party produce a president?

Funding for poitical parties all over the world may be a big issue, but i reckon its very easy to solve:
1. the politicians should never receive overseas funding
2. they should be oblidged to raise their money from their own supporters within the country.
3. there should be no limit on how much to raise and spend, but there has to be strict rules on transparency in the use of this money.

If we agree that a politician's legitimacy comes from the people then those who agree with the politics advocated by this particular politician ought to match up their support with their cash. Its up to them if they want to give him/her loads of cash, as long as the system provides for transparent accountability.

Party funding should be left with the politicians. From my experience as an active politician between 1999 till 2004. Government founding or subventions to political parties do not have any impart at all. Money used for political activities were coughed-out by long-throat political office seekers and political dealers. At the moment, in Nigeria, most of this money spent by politicians on political activities were got directly or indirectly from Nigeria weak systems.
Abdulwaheed.
[Personal details removed by Moderator]

well i believe political parties should moblise for their own funding rather than being funded by public funds. politics in africa has changed greatly. why do i say so. today's politicans join politics for selfish gains so i see no season whatsoever of funding such politicans who are going to steal from the public instead. many of them even eat up the so called community development fund and never take the interest of their community at all. we have heard time & again all over africa of politicans misusing monies meant to help the poor whom they claim to stand for.secondly politic has become a job & well paying job. those who get political offices never even get back to the communities to consult them on issues affecting them till their term of office expires.

my contact is +256779767450, godfrey mukola from tororo- uganda

Parties and indepedent politicians should be funded by public money and they should all be given the same amount.
Look at one of the most democratic and admired polical sytems in the world, the U S, you will understand what I am talking about. The amount of money poured in the 2010 midterm elections is mind boggling. Most of the money is from private sources who do not even have to disclose who they are. I believe that with money, you can influence the outcome of any election.
Most importantly, Africans have to start by implementing free and fair electinons. The military should get out of politics.African heads of state should rule no more than 8-10 years.Get the violence and political reprisals out of politics.Political stability will then lead to economic prosperity.In Western democracies and other stable countries,campaigns gets as wild as they can be, but "NO VIOLENCE".