Oops! The NC passes ‘Spy Bill’ without amendments

CONFUSION reigned at the National Council yesterday after lawmakers passed the Communications Bill through the committee stage without amendments.

Instead of stating that they were passing the Bill with amendments, as proposed by the standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and security chaired by Swapo Chief Whip Jhonny Hakaye, the National Council passed it without mentioning a word about the amendments.The Namibian understands that the ‘mistake’ was realised shortly afterwards and some MPs started blaming the staff for not alerting them in time.’I don’t know what will happen now but what is clear is that people got too excited and got carried away. They were supposed to say that they accept the Bill with or without amendments but they just passed it,’ said one source.Since the Bill went through the committee stage without an amendment, it was not clear whether the NC could recall it to that stage or let it go through to the last stage and for the President’s signature and gazetting.That means any amendment can only be made afterwards.The Chairman of the National Council, Asser Kapere, his deputy Magreth Mensah-Williams, Secretary to the National Council Panduleni Shimutwikeni and Hakaye were not available for comment yesterday afternoon.On Wednesday, the standing committee on foreign affairs, defence and security tabled its report following a public hearing and proposed several amendments to the Bill.These included a recommendation that only the Judge President or another Judge designated by him should be able to issue an interception order against individuals and companies.Such an interception order must also only be made with very clear indication of who the applicant is, against whom, the type of communication that will be intercepted and through which telecommunication or postal service provider such interception will take place.The committee conducted a three-day public hearing in Windhoek earlier this month to get input from different people and organisations on the controversial Bill.