Nudo parliamentarian Joseph Kauandenge on Tuesday asked the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to allow employees of regional councils, local authorities and those in the public service to stand as candidates for the parliamentary elections.
Article 47 of the Constitution prohibits politicians from standing as candidates for parliamentary elections while holding their positions in the National Council, regional councils or local authorities.
“It is my submission that, informed by the preamble of our Constitution, our founding mothers and fathers, I believe did not intend to prevent or discriminate against some members of our society, by inserting a clause in our Constitution that prevents them from freely participating in national elections,” Kauandenge said on Tuesday.
The member of parliament, along with more than 17 other parliamentary party candidates, resigned from their jobs in October 2019 to contest for the upcoming National Assembly elections.
“I had the unfortunate opportunity to feel how this article can really discriminate against some Namibians, when I was forced to resign as a councillor of the City of Windhoek in 2019, for me to be able to stand as a candidate on the party parliamentary list,” he said.
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