Two treaties of unknown content bulldozed through NA

THE ruling Swapo Party once again used its majority in Parliament to steamroll two treaties for ‘mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and extradition’ of suspects and criminals with Angola and Zimbabwe, respectively, without Members having read the two thick documents.
During the last session yesterday afternoon before a six-week recess, Deputy Justice Minister Utoni Nujoma, who is believed to have ambitions to become Defence Minister next year, suddenly introduced the two treaties, which were signed in 2006 and 2007 respectively and asked MPs to ratify them.

Opposition MPs complained bitterly that they only received copies of the two documents the same afternoon at the start of the Parliamentary session and as a result had not had a chance to read through them. ‘I don’t just sing something blindly as I don’t sign blank cheques either,’ was how Nora Schimming-Chase of the CoD summed up the feelings of the opposition benches.’ ‘It is not good Parliamentary practice to blindly pass documents without knowing their contents. Why the sudden rush for the treaties which are over two years old?’ she wanted to know.DTA Vice President Philemon Moongo criticised Swapo for abusing its majority. ‘We had no chance to go through the treaties, Swapo is misusing its power and its majority,’ Moongo said. The two treaties were then passed because of the Swapo majority. Opposition MPs recorded their reservations.