Parliament to return, this time with fanfare

THE opening of Parliament in two weeks’ time will be ushered in with more pomp and circumstance than usual.

This will be to mark the start of the last session for the members of Namibia’s third parliament. As is customary, President Sam Nujoma will open this Parliament’s ninth and final session on February 17.A committee has been set up to co-ordinate various activities to mark the occasion, including an exhibition, music, drama and educational programmes transmitted via the electronic media.This week the Director in the Office of the Speaker, Isabella Wellmann, said the main intention behind the special activities was to broaden the public’s limited participation in the legislative process.She said citizens needed to know more about the role of Parliament and its achievements, so that they could become more involved in its activities.”We must make the public aware that Parliament is not alien,” she said.The National Director of the Democratic Institute, Foster Mijiga, said Namibia needed to maximise interaction between elected leaders and the public.His organisation will play a major role in a two-day exhibition at Parliament Gardens in which NGOs, Government and foreign missions are expected to outline their roles in the country’s democratic development.The preparatory activities to the opening session will start next week.As is customary, President Sam Nujoma will open this Parliament’s ninth and final session on February 17. A committee has been set up to co-ordinate various activities to mark the occasion, including an exhibition, music, drama and educational programmes transmitted via the electronic media. This week the Director in the Office of the Speaker, Isabella Wellmann, said the main intention behind the special activities was to broaden the public’s limited participation in the legislative process. She said citizens needed to know more about the role of Parliament and its achievements, so that they could become more involved in its activities. “We must make the public aware that Parliament is not alien,” she said. The National Director of the Democratic Institute, Foster Mijiga, said Namibia needed to maximise interaction between elected leaders and the public. His organisation will play a major role in a two-day exhibition at Parliament Gardens in which NGOs, Government and foreign missions are expected to outline their roles in the country’s democratic development. The preparatory activities to the opening session will start next week.