Kawana dodges key questions

A SURPRISE parliamentary question over claims that a national referendum and a constitutional amendment were being considered to pave the way for a fourth term for President Sam Nujoma was sidestepped by Justice Minister Albert Kawana yesterday.

Ministers had just completed answering a list of questions that Parliamentarians had posed to them in writing in the National Assembly, when Congress of Democrats leader Ben Ulenga took the gap provided by a little-used rule of the Assembly to pose two unannounced oral questions to Kawana. The questions were of the sort that could have been answered with a “yes” or “no”.But, as it transpired, Kawana was not going to let himself be tied to such replies.Ulenga introduced the questions by saying they were being posed “in the light of very disturbing allegations in the local media”.These were apparently contained in a newspaper report in which it was claimed yesterday that unnamed Swapo Party sources said Kawana was appointed as Justice Minister because he was willing to draft legislation to facilitate a national referendum.This would test Namibians’ support for a fourth term of office for Nujoma, and to amend the Constitution again to allow another term for the President.Ulenga asked Kawana whether Government was considering tabling a Bill on the Constitution’s term limit in Parliament.He also asked whether Kawana himself had received instructions from either Cabinet or the President, or the head of his party, to table a Bill proposing a constitutional amendment or a referendum in Parliament.The first question, Kawana replied, was misdirected at him as Minister of Justice.According to the Constitution, the Prime Minister was the leader of the Government in the National Assembly, so Ulenga could not skip the PM and pose the question to the Justice Minister, Kawana said.He was more vehement on the second question, stating that it was the duty of Government to listen to the needs of the people of Namibia, and not to “foreigners and imperialists” as, he claimed, the opposition did.”There is nothing wrong with the nation demanding a referendum.It is their democratic right,” Kawana said.Ulenga tried to repeat the question, this time addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Hendrik Witbooi – Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab was not in the Assembly – but Deputy Speaker Willem Konjore overruled it, telling him he had had only one opportunity to pose such an oral question yesterday.Ulenga had already left the Assembly chamber when, much later in the afternoon, Kawana returned to the topic of a referendum.During a much-interrupted Budget contribution by DTA member Philemon Moongo, he had also referred to claims of plans for a fourth presidential term and a referendum on that score.Adding yet another interjection to Moongo’s speech, Kawana got to his feet to state that “the best democracy was through a referendum”.Referendums, even on minor issues, were common in Switzerland, for example, he said, appearing even more fired-up than when he answered Ulenga’s questions.He added: “What is good in Switzerland must be good for Namibia.”Kawana appeared to have studied the Constitution well, as he referred to the precise articles and sub-articles in which provision was made for conducting a referendum in Namibia, “on matters of national concern”.”So, what is wrong with that?” Kawana asked.”If the people want to talk, let them talk.That is the best democracy.”The questions were of the sort that could have been answered with a “yes” or “no”.But, as it transpired, Kawana was not going to let himself be tied to such replies.Ulenga introduced the questions by saying they were being posed “in the light of very disturbing allegations in the local media”.These were apparently contained in a newspaper report in which it was claimed yesterday that unnamed Swapo Party sources said Kawana was appointed as Justice Minister because he was willing to draft legislation to facilitate a national referendum.This would test Namibians’ support for a fourth term of office for Nujoma, and to amend the Constitution again to allow another term for the President.Ulenga asked Kawana whether Government was considering tabling a Bill on the Constitution’s term limit in Parliament.He also asked whether Kawana himself had received instructions from either Cabinet or the President, or the head of his party, to table a Bill proposing a constitutional amendment or a referendum in Parliament.The first question, Kawana replied, was misdirected at him as Minister of Justice.According to the Constitution, the Prime Minister was the leader of the Government in the National Assembly, so Ulenga could not skip the PM and pose the question to the Justice Minister, Kawana said.He was more vehement on the second question, stating that it was the duty of Government to listen to the needs of the people of Namibia, and not to “foreigners and imperialists” as, he claimed, the opposition did.”There is nothing wrong with the nation demanding a referendum.It is their democratic right,” Kawana said.Ulenga tried to repeat the question, this time addressed to Deputy Prime Minister Hendrik Witbooi – Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab was not in the Assembly – but Deputy Speaker Willem Konjore overruled it, telling him he had had only one opportunity to pose such an oral question yesterday.Ulenga had already left the Assembly chamber when, much later in the afternoon, Kawana returned to the topic of a referendum.During a much-interrupted Budget contribution by DTA member Philemon Moongo, he had also referred to claims of plans for a fourth presidential term and a referendum on that score.Adding yet another interjection to Moongo’s speech, Kawana got to his feet to state that “the best democracy was through a referendum”.Referendums, even on minor issues, were common in Switzerland, for example, he said, appearing even more fired-up than when he answered Ulenga’s questions.He added: “What is good in Switzerland must be good for Namibia.”Kawana appeared to have studied the Constitution well, as he referred to the precise articles and sub-articles in which provision was made for conducting a referendum in Namibia, “on matters of national concern”.”So, what is wrong with that?” Kawana asked.”If the people want to talk, let them talk.That is the best democracy.”