Andrew Kathindi
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Leaders, Bernardus Swartbooi and Henny Seibeb, are adamant to double their presence in the National Asembly (NA) following a favourable Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday 4 August.
“We hope to see the Honourable Peter Kat (Katjavivi) on the first of September, in parliament. He has no choice. He must let go of all those shenanigans that they plan in the darkness of the cover. They have no choice but to let us come back and to continue to fight,” Seibeb says.
Seibeb thinks there was a plan to keep them out of the National Assembly so they are not part of the discussions on genocide and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Director General, Paulus Noa’s re-appointment, which was concluded in controversial fashion last week.
He adds that they have two motions to pursue, which include the Neckertaal Dam investment and the integrated youth development strategy, which was tabled by LPM NA member, Utaara Mootu. “And more questions will be coming, especially on the elite capture and the land capture in this country. And the first salvo will be against the Speaker. We have uncovered some illegal land deals, we are going to deal with him when we come back.”
“So, he better start to prepare himself when we come back. There will be no ‘order, order, order, order’ things. Either he resigns with the vote of no confidence in him to go, or he must face the fire, especially when it comes to land issues.”
The Supreme Court set aside an order of the High Court, which dismissed LPM’s case seeking relief against Katjavivi, who had banned them from the sessions indefinitely. The Supreme Court ruling further orders that “‘The decision of the respondent to suspend the appellants indefinitely as set out in the letter dated 19 April 2021 is declared unlawful and a nullity and set aside.”
Katjavivi, who was represented by lawyer, Sisa Namandje, is directed to pay the applicants’ costs, including the costs of one instructing and one instructed legal practitioner. The two LPM NA members were barred from the NA after a question and answer session after President Hage Geigob’s State of the Nation address on 15 April.
Swartbooi states that while it may not continue with antics such as throwing over the mace and pointing fingers, they will continue to be “robust.” “We have been reflecting and indeed I can tell you that there will be changes in the way we do what we do in Parliament. That change will be quite possibly a robust robustness going forward.”
“Since last year we have 31 bills that have not thoroughly been discussed and passed. We have over 10-15 motions that have not been filed,” he adds.
Meanwhile the LPM Leader says he would not support other opposition parties that have approached lawyers to oppose the re-appointment of the ACC boss.
He feels betrayed by the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Leader, McHenry Venaani, as Deputy Chair of the Committee on Privileges and Immunities in the NA, which recently held a disciplinary hearing against Seibeb and Swartbooi, after, according to Swartbooi, Vevaani was nominated to the position by the LPM leader.
Swartbooi adds after consulting with their lawyers, the party was informed that the chances of overturning the ACC decision in court was low.
