‘Parliament not a rubber stamp to pass bills’

Association of Localised Interests (Asoli) president Joseph Kauandenge says parliament is not a rubber stamp to pass bills without informed decisions.

Kauandenge’s statement, issued on Wednesday, follows president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s address at Monday’s opening of parliament. During her speech, the president expressed concern over legislative delays, which she attributed to political point-scoring and unproductive debates.

“Swapo must stop rendering parliament as a mere rubber stamp or an extension of the ruling party, and must restore parliament to its rightful place of being an important, independent organ of state were robust debates takes place before a bill is passed into law;” he said.

​Kauandenge said for as long as parliament is used as a mere formality and rubber stamp by the Swapo majority – where no concrete, educated or well-informed discussions take place – opposition parties will continue to delay the passing of critical bills. He argued that they cannot pass bills hastily without critically applying their minds to any bill before the House.

Kauandenge said over the years, ministers have been found wanting by presenting bills at the last minute without proper notice or discussion, and then hastily using their majority in parliament to pass such bills.
As a result, he added, many bills passed in parliament have, when legally challenged, been found wanting. This, he said, is because they could not stand the test of legal scrutiny at all.

“What comes to mind is the Stock Theft Amendment Act, legal practitioners amendment bill and many others,” he said.

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