Parliament in brief

The National Assembly last week opened with speaker Peter Katjavivi urging members of parliament (MPs) to address pressing issues on the assembly’s agenda before they lapse.

The debate over the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage resumed, while new bills were introduced.

Running out of time

On Tuesday, Katjavivi urged MPs to address urgent matters on the assembly’s programme before they lapse. He reminded them they have 15 days remaining to debate and vote on motions and bills before the current session of the National Assembly concludes on 13 July.

“There are still important items to be dealt with during the remaining sitting days,” Katjavivi said.

Same-sex marriage

Swapo MP Natangwe Ithete yesterday said the parliament has the constitutional mandate to rectify anomalies and inconsistencies it may identify in the law for the public good. Ithete said this on Tuesday while contributing to the motion on the recent judgement of the Supreme Court regarding the recognition of same-sex marriage.

“The ruling of the Supreme Court has many implications that can negatively impact the marital regime and laws of Namibia,” he said. “Same-sex marriage offends the policies and laws of Namibia.”

Financial intelligence

Minister of finance and public enterprises Iipumbu Shiimi has tabled the financial intelligence amendment bill, which is aimed at amending the Financial Intelligence Act of 2012.

He said the bill is among the laws that needed to be amended for the country to avoid being grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

“Should Namibia be grey-listed by the FATF, it will come at a most inappropriate time, especially in lieu of the recently signed green hydrogen agreement with Hyphen and expected investments in Namibia’s oil and gas discoveries,” Shiimi said.

Among others, the new legislation seeks to secure the operational independence and autonomy of the Financial Intelligence Centre.

Violence against children

Popular Democratic Movement MP Inna Hengari said despite the country’s laws, policies, and institutions designed to safeguard children, the incidence of violence against children in Namibia is shocking, tragic and relentless.

“Reports of children being raped, abused, or subjected to other sorts of violence have become increasingly regular in Namibian media,” she said.

She was contributing to a motion that sought the parliament to debate child violence and neglect in Namibia.
She cited several incidents of child abuse, including media reports of a nine-year-old who was chained to a tree by a grandparent in the Oshikoto region.

Police Act

Home affairs, immigration, safety and security minister Albert Kawana has given notice to introduce a bill to amend the Police Act of 1990, so as to authorise the inspector general to share information obtained during investigations of money laundering and associated predicate offences, the financing of terrorism or proliferation activities or any other offences of interest with foreign law enforcement agencies and foreign non-law enforcement agencies.
– Compiled by Andreas Thomas