‘Disrespect’ new frontline for Swapo Ministers

A WAR of words erupted in the National Assembly yesterday when ruling party members accused the opposition and independent media of being “disrespectful” towards some Swapo leaders.

After Deputy Health Minister Petrina Haingura, who recently claimed she had a vision of God, complained that she and former President Sam Nujoma had fallen victim to hostile media, which she found “unhealthy and unpatriotic”, it was Lands Minister Jerry Ekandjo’s turn to spill some bile. “There appeared a report of a certain Jonathan Cobra in the Mail & Guardian South African newspaper on the Founding Father, usually they just appear in the Windhoek Observer by the same person,” he said.He then mentioned the name of the said journalist who uses that pseudonym.”He lives here – if he was born here, we can withdraw his birth [presumably citizenship] and send him back to his uncle in Holland,” Ekandjo threatened.Minister Ekandjo then cited another example of “disrespect”: CoD politician Nora Schimming-Chase was quoted in the Mail & Guardian as saying in an interview on a possible fourth term for Founding President Sam Nujoma that if he did indeed want to return to office he had to make sure he controlled Parliament “with hand-picked apostles”.Schimming-Chase immediately stood up on a point of order.”Don’t scratch where it does not itch,” she suggested to Ekandjo.”A few minutes ago, Deputy Minister Haingura said one should not always believe what journalists write …don’t use newspapers when it suits you.None of the opposition leaders have ever called a Swapo leader a homosexual,” she chastised Ekandjo, hinting at a Swapo rally a few years ago where Nujoma, out of the blue, had accused an opposition leader of being “a homosexual.””Fight Swapo battles outside – not in this House!” she told Ekandjo.At this point chaos broke out and Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab had to reach for his gavel, hammering it for several minutes while Ulenga tried to ask Ekandjo what was wrong with the term “hand-picked”.The Speaker finally managed to achieve some degree of silence.”I want all of you to respect this Chair,” he rebuked MPs.”I want all of you to rise from this Chamber in one piece as respectful and honourable Members.Time is up and the debate is adjourned until tomorrow,” he ended the session.”There appeared a report of a certain Jonathan Cobra in the Mail & Guardian South African newspaper on the Founding Father, usually they just appear in the Windhoek Observer by the same person,” he said. He then mentioned the name of the said journalist who uses that pseudonym.”He lives here – if he was born here, we can withdraw his birth [presumably citizenship] and send him back to his uncle in Holland,” Ekandjo threatened.Minister Ekandjo then cited another example of “disrespect”: CoD politician Nora Schimming-Chase was quoted in the Mail & Guardian as saying in an interview on a possible fourth term for Founding President Sam Nujoma that if he did indeed want to return to office he had to make sure he controlled Parliament “with hand-picked apostles”.Schimming-Chase immediately stood up on a point of order.”Don’t scratch where it does not itch,” she suggested to Ekandjo.”A few minutes ago, Deputy Minister Haingura said one should not always believe what journalists write …don’t use newspapers when it suits you.None of the opposition leaders have ever called a Swapo leader a homosexual,” she chastised Ekandjo, hinting at a Swapo rally a few years ago where Nujoma, out of the blue, had accused an opposition leader of being “a homosexual.””Fight Swapo battles outside – not in this House!” she told Ekandjo.At this point chaos broke out and Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab had to reach for his gavel, hammering it for several minutes while Ulenga tried to ask Ekandjo what was wrong with the term “hand-picked”.The Speaker finally managed to achieve some degree of silence.”I want all of you to respect this Chair,” he rebuked MPs.”I want all of you to rise from this Chamber in one piece as respectful and honourable Members.Time is up and the debate is adjourned until tomorrow,” he ended the session.