SECTOR 3 The majority on the panel, however, was adamant that “the common denominator [among NBC board members] was allegiance to SWAPO”. In what was widely seen as a political move, the minister first made the chair of the board resign after saying publicly that he had lost trust in him. Then the board fired the Director General, Bob Kandetu. He was seen within SWAPO as supporter of the SWAPO breakaway party, the RDP, although he had denied this. There is the sense that the board’s composition was altered to make it more supportive of the minister’s will and that the Director General had to go before the upcoming elections. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country minimally meets aspects of the indicator. 3 Country meets many aspects of indicator but progress may be too recent to judge. 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator and has been doing so over time. Average score: 1.2 (2005 = 1.9; 2007 = 1.2) 3.5 Persons who have a vested interest of a political or commercial nature are excluded from possible membership in the board of the state/public broadcaster i.e. office bearers with the State and political parties, as well as those with a financial interest in the broadcasting industry. Analysis: The NBC Act in its section 6 stipulates that members of the board of the NBC have to be Namibian citizens. The only group of persons expressly excluded from membership are members of the National Assembly (parliament). 46 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER NAMIBIA 2009