Uphold good governance, PM tells MPs

PRIME Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila yesterday called on members of parliament to uphold the rigorous standards they have set for themselves and do nothing that could compromise them.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila was speaking at the opening of the five-day National Council Post Elections Seminar held at Safari Court in Windhoek.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila also encouraged both the National Assembly and National Council to work together and to have regular consultations to coordinate the business of the two houses.

She said the coordination of the parliament and parliamentary committees and the executives is most important as it will ensure efficiency and effectiveness in the legislative process as well as ensure that parliamentary resolutions emanating from recommendations of parliamentary committees are implemented.

“I cannot emphasise this enough: ministers are individually accountable to the parliament and then to the President for the administration. It is important that there is coordination between the ministers and members of parliament and not between parliament and the officials in the offices. Sometimes you find ministers are not informed about the recommendations made but are expected to implement them when in fact there may be gaps,” she said.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said all parliamentarians are assigned to serve the Namibian nation and all have different roles to play.

“The Namibian people have given us a mandate to exercise the governance of our country on their behalf. We must never break their faith in us. We must carry out our promises and programmes, address their worries and look after their interests.

“We must see them through the restructuring of our economy, so that we can meet new challenges and seize the opportunities head-on as one united people. We must continue with self renewal in political leadership to secure Namibia’s future,” she said.

The Prime Minister said it is the responsibility of MPs to remain humble and reach out to all constituents and to tackle their pressing concerns.

“Just because we have become MPs it does not mean we know all the answers.We must help them [citizens] to understand and support policies which will benefit them and Namibia in the longer term,” said Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.

Chairperson of the National Council Margaret Mensah-Williams encouraged all MPs to attend the event as sessions have been planned to educate them all on different aspects of legislature and explain in detail what is expected of them as well as how to execute their duties.

She said the seminar is in sync with President Hage Geingob’s commitment to performance agreements for all ministers.

“As part of my leadership with my team, the National Council will oblige all members to provide quarterly regional reports and they have to sign to commit to this important exercise,” she said.

Similarly, European Union ambassador to Namibia Jana Hybásková said MPs should responsibly start working toward meeting goals that can assist with improving the socio-economic conditions of the local people.

“In places like Kunene region, people know where schools are needed and where development is needed. Please help them voice their needs, so that the budget of Namibia is used wisely. The budget is a bit of an issue in this country because it is only 25 years old.

Your [Namibian] budget only has 4% for development and this is very low as most money goes into other expeditures,” she said.