Parliament in brief

/KHOMANIN TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY gets farms IN KHOMAS

The Ministry Of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform has allocated two farms worth N$33,8 million to the Khomanin community as their communal land.

The government aims to ensure that residents of the Khomas region who do not have land are provided with land for settlement and grazing purposes.

While tabling the motion in parliament, land minister Calle Schlettwein said he would establish a Khomas Communal Land Board to administer land allocation.

CALL FOR LOCAL CONTENT ON LOCAL BROADCASTERS

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Inna Hengari tabled a motion on Wednesday in the National Assembly that proposes local radio and television stations do away with 80% of the foreign content they are currently playing.

She wants this to be replaced by local content to grow the local music industry.

Hengari told parliament that the Namibian Society of Composers and Authors of Music collected N$2 million in royalties last year.

She said 1 200 local artists received royalties, while N$152 000 was paid to 65 sister societies internationally.

PDM PROPOSES BILL TO REGULATE AI USE IN JOURNALISM

PDM deputy leader Jennifer van der Heever wants the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to propose a bill regulating the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in Namibia.

Van der Heever on Tuesday last week tabled questions to communication minister Emma Theofelus raising concerns about transparency in AI-generated content, fighting misinformation and maintaining journalism ethics.
She wants the government to regulate the use of AI in journalism.

STATE OF EMERGENCY EXTENSION

Deputy prime minister John Mutorwa has asked the National Assembly to extend the period of the state of emergency on Namibia’s drought situation.

The country’s food reserves currently stand at 16%, while 1,4 million Namibians are expected to be food insecure by July.

The extension will be for a further period of six months.

JOINT SITTING

The National Assembly held a joint sitting with the president of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis.

Representatives of United Nations agencies in Namibia include Hopolang Phororo, the resident coordinator in Namibia.

NEFF WANTS URBAN MINISTRY TO PROTECT VULNERABLE PEOPLE FROM DEBT COLLECTORS

Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters deputy leader Kalimbo Iipumbu says a number of local authorities are struggling to handle external debt collectors with whom they have entered into business, particularly RedForce Debt Management.

Iipumbu asked the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, why local authorities are allowed to make use of outside debt collectors looking to make huge profits, when they have internal debt collectors employed to carry out this work.

Iipumbu wants the ministry to protect vulnerable people, widows and the elderly against having basic municipal services like water cut off by debt collectors.

IS THE GOVERNMENT FAILING?

Iipumbu has also questioned prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila about deaths related to malnutrition in the Omaheke region this year.

He labelled it as a shame and embarrassment, wanting the government to admit its drought relief and disaster management efforts have failed Namibians.

Iipumbu says Namibia is a nation rich in natural resources, and questioned why it has to deal with children dying of hunger when there is a government.

He says these natural resources are being exploited.

– Compiled by Envaalde Matheus and Shelleygan Petersen