Martin Endjala
The resumption of the Parliament session today will be placed under a microscope, with many anticipating the debate on the recognition of same-sex marriages and the Namibian Police recruitment saga.
The Seventh Session of the Seventh Parliament which was opened by President Hage Geingob on the 14th February 2023 went into recess on 28 April 2023.
Recess or a break in session is provided for in the parliamentary calendar during May and August to grant members who belong to the Executive Branch of the state ample time to fully fulfil and execute their executive functions and also to provide an uninterrupted opportunity to ordinary Members of Parliament to execute their oversight function through parliamentary committees by way of public hearings and outreach programs.
Popular Democratic Movement Member of Parliament Vipuakuje Muharukua told this publication that he will move to introduce a motion in parliament to look at the welfare of police, army and correctional offices.
“I would hope for this cluster to get free medical cover from the government and also a specialized programme to give quick access to proper housing through recommending the transformation of the respective funds these groups are already contributing to said the MP,” he said.
He also stressed that he will be introducing another motion to curb stock theft as he rounds up his private consultations extending it to the public. He further said he would reintroduce the lapsed motion to provide a 40 percent subsidy for horticultural farmers in the Omusati region.
In terms of the same-sex saga, Muharukua anticipates that the matter will be dealt with accordingly in parliament, adding that in his capacity he will oppose the legalization of ‘these acts’.
“I will not shy away from this matter, I will pronounce myself on the matter, because if left unattended it could explode into a situation where government won’t be able to control,”said the MP.
Additionally, he reiterates the need for a referendum to address the issue of parliament’s lack of leadership to address the matter.
Meanwhile, the National Council Member of Parliament Paulus Mbangu is in support for the call of a referendum on homosexual issues adding that a motion needs to tabled.
The MP further took a swipe at the recruitment process of both the Namibia Correctional Services and Namibian Police amidst complaints sent to his office, saying that when the Upper house resumes next week, he will be addressing this issue.
“Members of the public at large have been complaining but government is not doing anything which is not fair and the situation continues unabated and uncalled for, as a government, they are supposed to be heading the call of the public, Mbangu argued”.
Namibians are also looking forward to the discussion on the writing off of electricity and water debts, following the announcement by Nampower that it will be cutting off electricity to localities whose accounts are not paid up.
Residents in the southern part of the country faced a four-hour blackout on Monday.
