Kapia stays put

IN A surprise move, suspended Swapo Youth League Secretary General Paulus Kapia put on a brave face and attended the first sitting of the National Assembly when it resumed business yesterday afternoon.

Facing possible expulsion from Swapo, Kapia appeared to defy the ruling party’s stance that it did not want him to return to parliament. He was warmly greeted by fellow MPs, and appeared almost jovial as he moved around the chamber to hug other MPs, as has become customary at the start of a new session.Two weeks ago Kapia was all but stripped of his seat by the ruling party hierarchy.At the time, Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange told a press briefing that Kapia would not take his seat as an MP when parliament resumed, and that the party was making “appropriate arrangements for Mr Kapia to vacate his seat”.Tjiriange also announced that Kapia had been suspended from all party duties pending an internal investigation into his involvement in the bungled Avid-SSC N$30 million investment.’WHAT’S THE FUSS ABOUT?’ If MPs were surprised to see Kapia yesterday, they hid it well.Arriving well ahead of time, Kapia exchanged greetings with, among others, Mines and Energy Minister Erkki Nghitima, Deputy Minister of Safety and Security Gabes Shihepo, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Theopolina Mushelenga and Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development Kazenambo Kazenambo.He appeared baffled that the media were photographing him and wanted to talk to him.Leaving the chambers after a sitting that lasted less than half an hour, Kapia hung around to speak to other MPs in the courtyard, remarking to the media “I’m just an ordinary MP.Why is everybody taking an interest in me?” Kapia refused to comment any further on his decision to return to the House.After the House adjourned, Tjiriange, Prime Minister Nahas Angula, Swapo Chief Whip Ben Amathila, and Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab spent another half an hour engaged in talks in the Chamber.THE INS AND OUTS OF EXPULSION When he did finally emerge, Tjiriange too feigned surprise at the media’s interest in Kapia’s return to the House, saying: “He’s an MP.”Asked why Kapia had returned to the House following the Politburo announcement that he should no longer hold a seat in the House, Tjiriange appeared at a loss for an explanation.”Just wait and you will see things are coming,” was all he would say.Tjiriange could not say whether Kapia would return to the House next Tuesday when business resumes.If Kapia does not resign as an MP, the only option Swapo has said that the only way the can enforce its decision to strip him of his seat is to expel him from the party.At the height of the High Court inquiry into the SSC’s dubious investment three weeks ago, Kapia quit as Deputy Minister of Works amidst widespread speculation that the party would axe him from the post.A week later, Tjiriange announced that Kapia was being suspended from all party activities for his role in the investment placed with Avid Investment Corporation, of which he was a director.Kapia said he accepted and understood the decision.However, the suspension of an MP from his or her party is not grounds upon which an MP can be made to vacate his or her seat in Parliament.Should Kapia choose not to resign, but remains absent from the House for 10 consecutive sitting days without a valid reason, he will automatically lose his seat in accordance with the Namibian Constitution.LEARNING THE ROPES Today, MPs are scheduled to start a three-day induction course, the second since the new Parliament was formed in March.The National Assembly will only resume next week.Yesterday, business in the House was largely dominated by opposition parties, which had prepared a number of questions they want answered by the Ministers in question.The CoD’s Nora Schimming-Chase demanded more information on Government reneging on its promise to pay teachers more, while the Republican Party’s Henk Mudge wanted to know about the circumstances surrounding the expropriation of the flower farm Ongombo West.The DTA’s Katuutire Kaura introduced a motion that the House discuss the state of the country’s education system, the situation at towns where water is being rationed and once again moved that old-age pensions be increased to N$500.The CoD’s Kalla Gertze moved a discussion on banking charges and penalties, which he said weighed heavily on the general public.He was warmly greeted by fellow MPs, and appeared almost jovial as he moved around the chamber to hug other MPs, as has become customary at the start of a new session.Two weeks ago Kapia was all but stripped of his seat by the ruling party hierarchy.At the time, Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange told a press briefing that Kapia would not take his seat as an MP when parliament resumed, and that the party was making “appropriate arrangements for Mr Kapia to vacate his seat”.Tjiriange also announced that Kapia had been suspended from all party duties pending an internal investigation into his involvement in the bungled Avid-SSC N$30 million investment.’WHAT’S THE FUSS ABOUT?’ If MPs were surprised to see Kapia yesterday, they hid it well.Arriving well ahead of time, Kapia exchanged greetings with, among others, Mines and Energy Minister Erkki Nghitima, Deputy Minister of Safety and Security Gabes Shihepo, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Theopolina Mushelenga and Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development Kazenambo Kazenambo. He appeared baffled that the media were photographing him and wanted to talk to him.Leaving the chambers after a sitting that lasted less than half an hour, Kapia hung around to speak to other MPs in the courtyard, remarking to the media “I’m just an ordinary MP.Why is everybody taking an interest in me?” Kapia refused to comment any further on his decision to return to the House.After the House adjourned, Tjiriange, Prime Minister Nahas Angula, Swapo Chief Whip Ben Amathila, and Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab spent another half an hour engaged in talks in the Chamber.THE INS AND OUTS OF EXPULSION When he did finally emerge, Tjiriange too feigned surprise at the media’s interest in Kapia’s return to the House, saying: “He’s an MP.”Asked why Kapia had returned to the House following the Politburo announcement that he should no longer hold a seat in the House, Tjiriange appeared at a loss for an explanation.”Just wait and you will see things are coming,” was all he would say.Tjiriange could not say whether Kapia would return to the House next Tuesday when business resumes.If Kapia does not resign as an MP, the only option Swapo has said that the only way the can enforce its decision to strip him of his seat is to expel him from the party.At the height of the High Court inquiry into the SSC’s dubious investment three weeks ago, Kapia quit as Deputy Minister of Works amidst widespread speculation that the party would axe him from the post.A week later, Tjiriange announced that Kapia was being suspended from all party activities for his role in the investment placed with Avid Investment Corporation, of which he was a director.Kapia said he accepted and understood the decision.However, the suspension of an MP from his or her party is not grounds upon which an MP can be made to vacate his or her seat in Parliament.Should Kapia choose not to resign, but remains absent from the House for 10 consecutive sitting days without a valid reason, he will automatically lose his seat in accordance with the Namibian Constitution. LEARNING THE ROPES Today, MPs are scheduled to start a three-day induction course, the second since the new Parliament was formed in March.The National Assembly will only resume next week.Yesterday, business in the House was largely dominated by opposition parties, which had prepared a number of questions they want answered by the Ministers in question.The CoD’s Nora Schimming-Chase demanded more information on Government reneging on its promise to pay teachers more, while the Republican Party’s Henk Mudge wanted to know about the circumstances surrounding the expropriation of the flower farm Ongombo West.The DTA’s Katuutire Kaura introduced a motion that the House discuss the state of the country’s education system, the situation at towns where water is being rationed and once again moved that old-age pensions be increased to N$500.The CoD’s Kalla Gertze moved a discussion on banking charges and penalties, which he said weighed heavily on the general public.