Empty talk

WITH the National Assembly yesterday afternoon discussing three international conventions against corruption – thus dealing with a problem dear to opposition parties – Swapo members were virtually left talking to themselves.

The opposition benches were notable for their emptiness. Only three out of 17 opposition members were present – Monitor Action Group’s Kosie Pretorius, the Congress of Democrats’ Elizabeth Amukugo and the DTA-UDF Coalition’s Philemon Moongo.Swapo member Ponhele ya France charged that, because of their absence from Parliament, opposition members were making themselves guilty of corruption too.Opposition absences have marked the Assembly’s discussion of the Government’s 2004-05 Budget this month.Amukugo and Moongo responded to Ya France’s accusations.She said that in the run-up to the local authority elections, the absence of opposition members involved in electioneering was more noticeable because the absence of Swapo members was disguised by the party’s numerical dominance in the Assembly.Only three out of 17 opposition members were present – Monitor Action Group’s Kosie Pretorius, the Congress of Democrats’ Elizabeth Amukugo and the DTA-UDF Coalition’s Philemon Moongo.Swapo member Ponhele ya France charged that, because of their absence from Parliament, opposition members were making themselves guilty of corruption too.Opposition absences have marked the Assembly’s discussion of the Government’s 2004-05 Budget this month.Amukugo and Moongo responded to Ya France’s accusations.She said that in the run-up to the local authority elections, the absence of opposition members involved in electioneering was more noticeable because the absence of Swapo members was disguised by the party’s numerical dominance in the Assembly.