Martin Endjala
Public Hearings on youth unemployment by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources and Community Development will go on despite attempts by some Swapo Party Members of Parliament to get them cancelled.
The committee commenced yesterday with its regional Public Hearings on the motion of Youth Unemployment in the Zambezi region.
The Landless People’s Movement Deputy Leader Henny Seibeb on Sunday alleged that the National Assembly Secretary Lydia Kandetu and Swapo MP Elifas Dingara took a unilateral decision to cancel the public hearings in a Swapo WhatsApp group.
Seibeb said that Elma Dienda Chief Whip of the Popular Democratic Movement and LPM member Edson Isaaks were yesterday at Parliament trying to find out why, and who gave the powers to Kandetu and Dingara, in a Swapo WhatsApp group to cancel the public hearings.
According to Seibeb, the standing committee was supposed to drive yesterday to Lüderitz, however, their travel allowances have not been disbursed. According to him, the decision to halt the meetings was taken a long time ago without informing the rest of the other committee members.
Seibeb also expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the said public hearings are being conducted, claiming that the Parliamentary standing committee on Gender did not meet anyone in Otjinene, Otjiwarongo, Kalkfeld, and Walvis Bay last week because members of the public weren’t informed and did not know about these public hearings.
“It had to be cancelled, a waste of money,” he vented.
In terms of Standing Rules and Orders, Seibeb states that there’s nothing wrong with informing stakeholders (councillors and the public) about public hearings.
“We shall demand answers tomorrow about the unilateral cancellation and take further action and exhaust court processes”, Seibeb said.
PDM Chief Whip Dienda, told the Windhoek Observer that there was nothing to mourn about as everything was cleared and the public hearing was still on. According to her, allegations are that there was a Swapo MP who attempted to derail the committee from conducting the public hearing.
Efforts to contact Kandetu proved futile.
The hearings on youth unemployment come after Inna Hengari of PDM tabled a motion in parliament on Youth unemployment on 26 October 2022 and requested that it be referred to a relevant standing committee (Human Resources) for further deliberations, nationwide consultations with young people and relevant stakeholders.
In her motion, Hengari argued that policy implementation shortfalls, lack of investments in youth-run SMEs, a skewed education system, corruption and its systematic nature have led to high youth unemployment.
The Committee is expected to conduct similar engagements in Kavango East and West regions before proceeding to the Ohangwena region. After these engagements, a report will be compiled and presented before the National Assembly.
The Committee consists of Annakletha Sikerete, Johana Kandjimi, Maximillian Katjimune, Yvette Aaraes, Hon. Gothard Kandume including the Chairperson Nono Katjingisua accompanied by Director of Committee Services and Kathleen-Joyce Nakutta.
