Opposition parties on Thursday demanded the cancellation of the special National Assembly session called by President Hage Geingob to fill top positions at the Anti-Corruption Commission and the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO), All People’s Party (APP), SWANU of Namibia (SWANU), Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters (NEEF) and the Republican Party (RP) made the demands in a letter dated 29 July, addressed to NA speaker Peter Katjavivi through lawyers Angula Co. Incorporated, in which they argued that their members were not notified in time to enable all of them to travel from across the country and attend the important session.
The National Assembly convened on Tuesday to decide on Geingob’s nomination of Paulus Noa and Advocate Erna van der Merwe to be reappointed as Director-General and Acting Deputy Director-General respectively. For the ECN, Geingob nominated Elsie Nghikembua for the position of chairperson, while Emmerentia Leonard and Joram Rukambe were recommended as ordinary commissioners.
Both nominations were met with resistance by the opposition, who accused Swapo of ‘bulldozing’ the process and ‘ambushing’ them.
They claim to have only received the official proclamations on Wednesday, 28 July 2021, via social media at 10:30 pm.
This they said falls short of the constitutional principles, which demand that such special sessions of parliament be directed by a proclamation, which should afford members of parliament reasonable time to prepare and avail themselves to attend such special sessions.
“The notice is deadening the principles of representation, which is the cornerstone of our democracy, because the Namibian nation would be deprived of their voice on (critical) issues,” the letter reads.
Opposition lawmakers are thus demanding that the sitting be cancelled, and a proper notice be given to afford all members an opportunity to attend.
“In the event that the sitting is not cancelled, our client shall have no choice but to approach court on an urgent basis, to set aside the decisions of the National Assembly determined without proper notice. Surely, you are appreciative of the immense prejudice that our client shall suffer should you insist on continuing with the session,” the letter reads further.
NA Spokesperson, David Nahongandja, said they had not yet received the letter.
In the meantime, several opposition MPs walked out of Thursday’s session, threatening to go to court and get an interdict against the continuation of the sessions.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
