Members of Parliament

“Public finances must impact society” … as Model Law on Public Financial Management awaits adoption

“Public finances must impact society” … as Model Law on Public Financial Management awaits adoption

By Moses Magadza and Clare Musonda Standing Committees of the SADC Parliamentary Forum and the Regional Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (RWPC) have unanimously endorsed a draft SADC Model Law on Public Financial Management (PFM) and will soon commend it to the highest decision body of the Forum, the Plenary Assembly, for adoption. The endorsement happened at the end of a two-day consultation over the draft Model Law on PFM that took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, recently. The validation was the climax of a series of similar engagements with different stakeholders over several weeks, as the SADC PF sought buy-in and…
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PDM Parliament hopefuls to approach court…as Parliament is set to open

PDM Parliament hopefuls to approach court…as Parliament is set to open

Andrew Kathindi With Parliament set to open in just over a week’s time, Lawyer Norman Tjombe has threatened to approach the courts to have his clients’ gazetted as Members of Parliament. This comes after a High Court ruling, delivered in July last year, ordered that Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) members Charmaine Tjirare, Reggie Diergaardt, Frans Bertolini, Yvette Araes, Mike Venaani and Tjekupe Maximilliant Katjimune be added to the opposition party parliamentary list, an order which is yet to be implemented. The High Court ruling had further ordered that a public gazette be published in that regard. “As a result of…
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COVID-19: WHO urges MPs to unite and build strong health systems

COVID-19: WHO urges MPs to unite and build strong health systems

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – The Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has implored SADC Members of Parliament to unite and build resilient health systems, saying they are “the best defence against any health emergency”. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the plea on Sunday in a pre-recorded video message to MPs virtually attending the 47th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum. He stressed that unity among the region’s lawmakers regardless of political affiliation as well as collaboration of member states would galvanise national and regional responses to the pandemic. COVID-19 has claimed the lives of more…
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SADC MPs want value from region’s vast resources

SADC MPs want value from region’s vast resources

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK – Africa is the richest continent on earth in terms of extractive resources, but until Members of Parliament up their game and demand meaningfully beneficial deals, their citizens will continue to wallow in abject poverty. Parliamentarians who represent their countries on the SADC Parliamentary Forum’s Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, came to this conclusion when they held a virtual meeting last week. South African lawmaker Tshitereke Baldwin Matibe chaired the meeting. The continent is awash with massive deposits of extractive resources that include iron ore, petroleum and natural gas, crude oil, diamonds, gold, uranium,…
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Geingob hits back at opposition parties

Geingob hits back at opposition parties

…as ruling party divisions continue Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has hit back at opposition parties in Parliament who threatened to take Swapo to court over the selection of Parliamentary Committee members, calling their claims weak. This comes after opposition parties and Swapo reached an impasse over parliamentary committees. Thye could not agree on members to nominate. “The case of the Opposition, regarding the constitution of the committees, is weak. The rules are clear that proportional representation applies to the entire National Assembly and not just the committees,” said Geingob. Standing Committees are smaller groups of Members of Parliament elected…
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