Who’s in, who’s out

By: TILENI MONGUDHI and CHRISTOF MALETSKY

THE next National Assembly to be inaugurated next year will be robbed of many years of parliamentary experience, with some long-serving MPs both in the ruling party and the opposition not making it back to the House.

The opposition benches will particularly be deprived of some popular and seasoned MPs such as the DTA’s McHenry Venaani and Johan De Waal and the CoD’s Elma Dienda, a well-respected politician.
Another big loss to the National Assembly will be former Permanent Secretary of Trade and Congress of Democrats MP Tsudao Gurirab.
De Waal’s skills will be particularly missed in the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts.
He was seen as the driving force behind this committee, which he chaired. Although not popular with parastatal CEOs and Permanent Secretaries, De Waal’s incisive questioning and hard stance against waste of public money and resources made the standing committee’s work appreciated by the media and the general public.
De Waal, a founding member of the DTA, has been the DTA’s spokesperson on finance and trade issues since 1994 and as chairperson of the public accounts committee has worked tirelessly on loopholes and shortcomings in the public service financial management.
The ruling party will be without some of its parliamentary stalwarts such as the current Minister of Works, Helmut Angula, Minister of Youth Willem Konjore, who also served as Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly under Zephania Kameeta, and Marlene Mungunda of Women and Child Welfare.
While Swapo is robbed of the combined experience of these politicians, the return of veteran Ben Amathila will bolster the ruling party’s benches.
The deputy ministers not making it back to Parliament are Victor Simunja of Defence, Rafael Dinyando of Information, Teopolina Mushelenga in Trade and Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, the Deputy Minister of Education.
The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is in 55th spot on the Swapo list, may return because of the death on Friday of Auguste Xoagus, who was number 36 on the list.
But the sun has not entirely set on Angula, Konjore and Mungunda, as they can still be “wheelchaired”, in Swapo terms, into the legislature by the President.
This could be done through the six non-voting appointees that President-elect Hifikepunye Pohamba can add to the 72 members of the National Assembly.
The APP’s only MP, come next March 21, Ignatius Shixwameni, will be returning to Parliament for the third time on a different party ticket. His parliamentary debut was on the Swapo ticket in 1995. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Information and Broadcasting in 1997. In 1999 he joined the CoD and returned to Parliament the next year in 2000 as a CoD parliamentarian.
He resigned from the CoD in December 2007 and formed his own party, the APP, which he will now represent in Parliament.
There will be 18 new faces in the National Assembly next year. Half of the RDP list will be people who will make their debut in Parliament, while Swapo has 12, of whom seven were put on the party list by President Pohamba.
RDP candidates such as Hidipo Hamutenya, Anton von Wietersheim, Jesaya Nyamu and Kandy Nehova will return to Parliament with a wealth of experience, although in the opposition benches this time around. The return will also add depth to the opposition benches.

Who is in Parliament come March next year
Swapo
1. Hage Geingob (Vice-President)
2. Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana (Secretary General)
3. Nangolo Mbumba (Deputy Secretary General)
4. Jerry Ekandjo
5. Utoni Nujoma
6. Alpheus Naruseb
7. Abraham Iyambo
8. Petrina Haingura
9. Richard Nchabi Kamwi
10. Kazenambo Kazenambo
11. Joel Kaapanda
12. Erkki Nghimtina
13. John Mutorwa
14. Nahas Angula
15. Tjekero Tweya
16. Petrus Iilonga
17. Theo-Ben Gurirab
18. Immanuel Ngatjizeko
19. Pohamba Shifeta
20. Elia Kaiyamo
21. Albert Kawana
22. Benhard Esau
23. Doreen Sioka
24. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila (President’s list)
25. Paulus Kapia
26. Charles Namholo (President’s list)
27. Peya Mushelenga
28. Alpheus Muheua (President’s list)
29. Loide Kasingo
30. Priscilla Beukes (President’s list)
31. Erastus Uutoni
32. Billy Mwaningange (President’s list)
33. Marco Hausiku
34. Lucia Witbooi (President’s list)
35. Muharukua Angelika
36. Auguste Xoagus
37. Chief Samuel Ankama
38. Uahekua Herunga (President’s list)
39. Rosalia Nghidinwa
40. Willem Isaack (President’s list)
41. Nickey Iyambo
42. Sylvia Makgone (President’s list)
43. David Namwandi
44. Piet van der Walt
45. Lempy Lucas
46. Isak Katali
47. Tommy Nambahu
48. Elifas Dingara
49. Festus Ueitele
50. Juliet Kavetuna
51. Moses Amweelo
52. Evelyn Nawases-Taeyele
53. Alexia Manombe-Ncube
54. Ben Amathila
(55. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah)?

RDP
1. Hidipo Hamutenya (President)
2. Steve Bezuidenhoudt (Vice President)
3. Jesaya Nyamu (Secretary General)
4. Agnes Limbo (Deputy Secretary General)
5. Anton von Wietersheim
6. Kandy Nehova
7. Peter Naholo
8. Heiko Luckas

UDF
1. Justus //Garoëb
2. Simson Tjongarero
DTA
1. Katuutire Kaura
2. Phillemon Moongo

Nudo
1. Chief Kuaima Riruako
2. Arnold Tjihuiko

APP
1. Ignatius N Shixwameni

CoD
1. Ben Ulenga

RP
1. Mudge Henk

Swanu
1. Usutuaije Maamberua

New faces
Swapo
1. Alpheus Muheua (President’s list)
2. Priscilla Beukes (President’s list)
3. Erastus Uutoni
4. Billy Mwaningange (President’s list)
5. Lucia Witbooi (President’s list)

7. Uahekua Herunga (President’s list)
8. Willem Isaack (President’s list)
9. Sylvia Makgone (President’s list)
10. David Namwandi
11. Piet van der Walt
12. Elifas Dingara
13.Festus Ueitele

RDP
1. Steve Bezuidenhoudt
2. Agnes Limbo
3. Peter Naholo
4. Heiko Luckas

UDF - Simson Tjongarero
Swanu - Usutuaije Maamberua

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