The Namibian Parliament in its quest to become paperless, and get closer to the people, on Thursday launched its revamped website in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
The website, according to the Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) Peter Katjavivi, will enhance the public’s participation in democracy, good governance and transparency.
Katjavivi while speaking at the launch, said the website comes at the right time, particularly in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic which has forced the institution “to transform our digital communications and transition towards a paperless parliament.
We have started the process to transform into an e-parliament, which will enhance digital parliamentary democracy through online citizen engagement and participation.”
The website, he further said is a critical tool in taking parliament to the people, the constituents as well as the public at large and the international partners to better understand the constitutional role parliament plays, the work it does, bills that are tabled, debated and passed and international instruments that are tabled and ratified.
He then urged his colleagues to put their gadgets to good use and promote engagement on the website with the citizenry, in order to keep the website relevant and user friendly.
The new website will be found at the following address: www.parliament.na
Also speaking during the launch which was held virtually, KAS representative in Namibia Natalie Russman, highlighted that the website is a milestone towards adapting parliament to the existing electronic and digital era.
“The main aim is to eliminate the pen and paper communication system and to guarantee that Namibia parliamentarians adjust themselves to the new form of electronic communication devices, and to acquaint themselves with debates that take place via different digital platforms such as zooms, “Russman said.
According to Russman, the website will eliminate unnecessarily time-consuming and pragmatic long-distance travels experienced by lawmakers and the public to access parliament.
Source: Namibia Press Agency
