Gurirab wins top post, while MPs go AWOL again

THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Theo-Ben Gurirab, was elected to a top international post in Switzerland yesterday, but at home in Windhoek Members of Parliament failed in their duty to attend their routine session.

Gurirab was elected as the new president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The voting took place in Geneva, Switzerland, by secret ballot.Gurirab received 200 votes and his competitor, Angung Laksono, Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament, received 113 votes, according to Willem Hanse, special assistant to Gurirab.”This is the first time that the IPU President comes from the southern African region,” Hanse told The Namibian late yesterday.The Speaker will serve for a three-year term.Deputy Speaker Doreen Sioka yesterday had no opportunity to inform parliamentarians about the good news, as there was no quorum in the National Assembly.Just two weeks after Parliament was unable to sit because too many members were absent, it was the same story yesterday.Of the 78 MPs in the House, only 72 have voting rights and if 37 MPs with voting rights are present, that is called a quorum.If fewer members with voting rights are present, no parliamentary sitting may take place.Several MPs accompanied Gurirab to Switzerland.”I wish sincerely to thank the people of Africa and their parliamentary leaders, public officials and, not least, the media commentators for having made my candidature a living and joyful pride of our continent and the people themselves – the true spirit of the African Union in action,” Gurirab said in his acceptance speech.The voting took place in Geneva, Switzerland, by secret ballot.Gurirab received 200 votes and his competitor, Angung Laksono, Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament, received 113 votes, according to Willem Hanse, special assistant to Gurirab.”This is the first time that the IPU President comes from the southern African region,” Hanse told The Namibian late yesterday.The Speaker will serve for a three-year term.Deputy Speaker Doreen Sioka yesterday had no opportunity to inform parliamentarians about the good news, as there was no quorum in the National Assembly.Just two weeks after Parliament was unable to sit because too many members were absent, it was the same story yesterday.Of the 78 MPs in the House, only 72 have voting rights and if 37 MPs with voting rights are present, that is called a quorum.If fewer members with voting rights are present, no parliamentary sitting may take place.Several MPs accompanied Gurirab to Switzerland.”I wish sincerely to thank the people of Africa and their parliamentary leaders, public officials and, not least, the media commentators for having made my candidature a living and joyful pride of our continent and the people themselves – the true spirit of the African Union in action,” Gurirab said in his acceptance speech.