Parliament – Windhoek Observer

17 Sep

Parliament debate on youth unemployment long overdue

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Hage Geingob, Inna Hengari, Member of Parliament (MP), Parliament, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), President

Eba Kandovazu BY the end of 2021, Namibia is expected to reach a staggering 50.3% youth unemployment rate. This is according to Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Member of Parliament (MP), Inna Hengari, notifying Parliament today to debate the issue. Hengari says the youth labour force is 576 000 youth with 265 770 thereof unemployed and roaming the streets. This, according to her, represented by the end of 2018 a 46% youth unemployment. Hengari also notes that the youth unemployment rate in Namibia is more than twice than that of adults. “More concerning, is that the highest qualification of 229 259…

29 Jul

ACC’s boss, Parliament debate on hold . . . following chaos in August House

ObserverObserver MoneyAnti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Covid-19, Parliament, Paulus Noa

Andrew Kathindi The debate on the re-appointment of Director–General of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Paulus Noa, is indefinitely on hold after Parliament descended into chaos. Swapo’s Party’s Chief Whip, Hambyuka, Hamunyela, proposed an “end” to the debate after nearly two hours into the debate. “I move in terms of rule 106 A of the standing rules and order that the question be now put to the speaker to close the debate.” The motion, which the Speaker tried to correct as not a motion, was not received well by the members of the Nati0nal Assembly with Speaker of Peter Katjavivi, stating…

27 Jul

ACC, ECN to get new heads … as parli meets urgently

ObserverObserver MoneyAnti-Corruption Commission of Namibia, Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), Parliament

Staff Writer The National Assembly will convene for a special session tomorrow, 27 July, to decide the appointment of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) and Director General of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Namibia (ACC), Parliament has announced. ACC boss, Paulus Noa’s contract, which ended at the start of the year, was extended for six months by President Hage Geingob in January and then for another month again last month. “As provided for by article 62 sub-article (1) (c) of the Namibian Constitution, H.E. Dr. Hage Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, has directed by Proclamation number 7586, that…

17 Jun

Genocide agreement unlikely to be rejected … as analysts predict German apology embarrassment

ObserverObserver MoneyKazenambo Kaezeambo, Parliament, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Despite groundswell sentiments against the genocide agreement between Namibian and German government s, it is and is ikely to succeed when it is brought to Parliament. “It is difficult to see it being rejected in Parliament unless Swapo members from the affected communities vote against it, which I don’t think is likely to happen as they would not wish to be seen as going rogue from the Party’s wishes,” says University of Namibia (Unam)’s Senior Lecturer and Political Analyst, Ndumba Kamwayah. Kamwayah says the only way the motion could possibly be rejected in Parliament is if a secret…

23 Apr

High Court postpones LPM’s Parliament case

ObserverObserver MoneyBernardus Swartbooi, Henny Seibeb, Parliament, Peter Katjavivi

Andrew Kathindi A ruling on an urgent application with the High Court, filed by Landless People’s Movement (LPM) to challenge the Speaker’s decision to have the leaders of the LPM withdrawn from the National Assembly, was postponed to Monday 26 April. This was confirmed to Windhoek Observer by Parliament’s Spokesperson, David Nahogandja. “Case postponed to Monday to allow responded enough time to respond.” This comes as LPM’s leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and the party’s Chief Whip, Henny Seibeb, were removed from Parliament after being deemed by the Speaker, Peter Katjavivi, to be disruptive during a question and answer session with President…

22 Apr

Parliament upholds Katjavivi’s LPM MPs ruling …as duo heads to court

ObserverObserver MoneyLandless People’s Movement (LPM), Parliament

Andrew Kathindi The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Standing Rules and Orders and Internal Arrangements (STROC) has upheld Speaker, Peter Katjavivi’s ruling to bar Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and the party’s Chief Whip, Henny Seibeb, from the Parliament’s Chambers. “The Standing Rules and Order Committee met and the decision is that they decided to sustain the ruling of the Speaker and the members remain withdrawn from the chambers,” Parliament Spokesperson, David Nahogandja, told the Windhoek Observer. The decision was taken at a STROC meeting held on Wednesday afternoon. STROC committees are made up of chief whips of the…

21 Apr

Venaani demands answers from Parliament

ObserverObserver MoneyBernardus Swartbooi, Henny Seibeb, McHenry Venaani, Parliament

Andrew Kathindi Parliament's Privileges Committee Vice Chairperson and leader of the official opposition, McHenry Venaani, has accused Parliament of keeping him in the dark over what it plans to charge Landless People's Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and the party's second-in-charge, Henny Seibeb. This comes as a meeting which was scheduled to discuss the fate of two lawmakers did not take place on Tuesday, with Venaani stating that he was not even informed about the postponement. "I find it very strange that two meetings are postponed and I am the Vice Chair of the meeting and I am not being…

20 Apr

Katjavivi bars Swartbooi, Seibeb from Parliament

ObserverObserver MoneyBernardus Swartbooi, Henny Seibeb, Parliament, Peter Katjavivi

Andrew Kathindi Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and the party’s Parliamentary Chief Whip, Henny Seibeb, have been barred from attending Parliament by Speaker of the House, Peter Katjavivi after they were forcibly removed from the Chambers last week. Swartbooi and Seibeb were not in Parliament for Monday’s session. "In the meantime, the Speaker ruling of Thursday, 15 April, 2021, that the two Members of Parliament (MPs) are withdrawn from the Chamber remains in force until it is set aside on the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Standing Rules and Orders and Internal Arrangements. Further penalties will be…

16 Apr

Chaos reigns in Parliament again …as Geingob delivers his state of the nation

ObserverObserver MoneyBernardus Swatbooi, Henny Seibeb, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Parliament, president Hage Geingob

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob’s State of the Nation address (Sona) was brought to an unceremonious end when chaos broke out in Parliament on Thursday. Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swatbooi, and the party’s second in charge, Henny Seibeb, where thrown out of Parliament during a question-and-answer session after the President had delivered his Sona. Seibeb appeared to have been removed by the President’s guards from the chambers after flinging documents in the direction of Geingob. According to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, he foresaw this coming. "This has been coming for a while. I really…

09 Apr

Geingob removes Vilho as MP

ObserverObserver MoneyFormer Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Parliament, Peter Vilho, president Hage Geingob

Rose-Mary Haufiku Former Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Peter Vilho, has been withdrawn as a Member of Parliament (MP) by President Hage Geingob as a presidential nominee. The withdrawal of Vilho comes after Geingob on Thursday wrote a letter to Parliament informing it of his decision. The development comes after Vilho resigned his position as Defence Minister on Tuesday after an afternoon-long meeting with the President, after having been summoned. National Assembly Spokesperson, David Nahogandja, confirmed the development, stating that Parliament had received the letter informing it of the President’s decision. The withdrawal of Vilho creates room for the President…