PDM says Katjavivi is biased

THE Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) chief whip, Jennifer van den Heever, said the Speaker of the National Assembly was biased and was weakening the lawmaking processes.

Van den Heever accused the Speaker, Peter Katjavivi, in a statement she issued yesterday, saying he and his colleagues from the ruling party allow legislation about land issues pass through the house. Her statement came after some opposition parties blocked the urban and regional planning bill from proceeding to the committee stage on Wednesday because parliament had agreed to put any discussion on land on hold until the second national land conference has taken place.

President Hage Geingob postponed the second national land conference to next year, saying various interest groups had raised concerns about not being given sufficient time for consultations.

Despite parliament’s position on land matters, Katjavivi allowed the urban and regional planning bill and the land tax amendment bill to be discussed, saying they were not related to land issues.

Van den Heever said Katjavivi’s reason to say that the bills above do not relate to land matters, was evidence of the Speaker’s inconsistency in the application of agreed principles and a “show of his bias”.

Katjavivi denied several opposition leaders an opportunity to contribute to the issue of corruption in Namibia.

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa Amadhila and land minister Utoni Nujoma have also been accused of blocking members of the opposition.

Swapo MPs had also blocked a proposed debate on the issue of ancestral land and the demand for the list of all beneficiaries under the government’s resettlement farms programme.

Swanu member of parliament Usutuaije Maamberua had moved the motion on the issue of ancestral land and resettlement list.

Van den Heever said the culture of stifling debate as and when it is convenient to some and then looking to bulldoze through crucial legislation, severely weakens and compromises the integrity of the law-making process.

“It is completely unacceptable for the National Assembly to have principally agreed to the withdrawal of the land bill on the basis that it would be discussed after the Second National Land Conference,” she said.

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