Esau sparks ‘father of all debates’

MEN should also get “maternity leave” a Deputy Minister pleaded in Parliament yesterday, but his ‘dearest daddy desire’ landed him in a corner, with other MPs asking what would happen if he had several wives, which is allowed under customary law.

Speaking during debate on the new Labour Bill, Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Bernard Esau said Namibia could follow other countries which allowed fathers paternity leave when their child was born. CoD Member Elma Dienda wanted to know how long this paternity leave should be.Esau replied “Two weeks as a start”.This triggered fellow CoD member Nora Schimming-Chase to inform Esau, who seemed surprised by the sudden interest in his proposal, that women as a rule gave birth to only one child a year, but men could father many children annually and this would complicate the allocation of paternity leave.”How many times do you want paternity leave?” Schimming-Chase asked him, causing giggles in the Chamber.Quipped Esau: “In Namibia laws regulate relationships and I can only be married to one wife, so I can only qualify for such leave per birth in the marriage …”But by now, DTA Chairman Philemon Moongo, who is also a traditional leader, had warmed to the idea.”Under customary law you can have different wives so you should thus also be entitled to paternity leave for each wife,” Moongo said, sparking laughing MPs to once again look expectantly at Esau.”I leave that issue to the traditional leaders, the Moongos,” Esau retorted.At this point, Arnold Tjihuiko of Nudo stood up and said: “I rise to remind you that last year we passed a law that treats children born out of wedlock equally to those born inside a marriage.Do you want to discriminate now against children out of wedlock?” “This should be negotiated,” Esau responded.CoD Member Elma Dienda wanted to know how long this paternity leave should be.Esau replied “Two weeks as a start”.This triggered fellow CoD member Nora Schimming-Chase to inform Esau, who seemed surprised by the sudden interest in his proposal, that women as a rule gave birth to only one child a year, but men could father many children annually and this would complicate the allocation of paternity leave.”How many times do you want paternity leave?” Schimming-Chase asked him, causing giggles in the Chamber.Quipped Esau: “In Namibia laws regulate relationships and I can only be married to one wife, so I can only qualify for such leave per birth in the marriage …”But by now, DTA Chairman Philemon Moongo, who is also a traditional leader, had warmed to the idea.”Under customary law you can have different wives so you should thus also be entitled to paternity leave for each wife,” Moongo said, sparking laughing MPs to once again look expectantly at Esau.”I leave that issue to the traditional leaders, the Moongos,” Esau retorted.At this point, Arnold Tjihuiko of Nudo stood up and said: “I rise to remind you that last year we passed a law that treats children born out of wedlock equally to those born inside a marriage.Do you want to discriminate now against children out of wedlock?” “This should be negotiated,” Esau responded.