The National Assembly’s growing dysfunction cannot be blamed on the speaker alone, parliamentarian Kalimbo Iipumbu says.
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters leader yesterday told The Namibian the functioning of parliament is a collective responsibility, saying speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Cabinet ministers and members of parliament (MPs) themselves all have constitutional duties to uphold.
This comes after the speaker last week refused the tabling of a motion moved by the Independent Patriots for Change, calling for her to step down due to alleged biases.
Iipumbu said while the speaker is responsible for maintaining order, enforcing the standing rules and ensuring parliamentary business is conducted fairly, ministers must also be adequately prepared to defend bills, policies and government programmes before the National Assembly.
He said ministers who arrive in the House unprepared or provide evasive and incomplete answers to serious questions from MPs contribute to frustration and weaken the parliament’s oversight role.
“The parliament is supposed to be a place where the government is held accountable,” Iipumbu said, adding that ministers must be able to explain, justify and defend decisions taken by the executive.
He also raised concerns about bills being introduced without sufficient consultation, explanation or convincing justification, saying this compromises the quality of law-making.
Iipumbu said strong political disagreement is healthy in a democracy, but disorder should not be normalised.
He said the National Assembly needs strong leadership, prepared ministers and disciplined MPs if it is to effectively perform its oversight and law-making responsibilities.
In defence, minister of industries, mines and energy Modestus Amutse yesterday said it is “common public knowledge” that the opposition has no interest in allowing the parliament to discuss substantive items on the order paper.
He said bills are meant to be debated from the order paper and not through written and oral questions.
“Members of the executive went to the same universities as the opposition members.
However, the two serve different roles in parliament,” Amutse said.
He said it is unfortunate that the National Assembly is increasingly being reduced to an opposition questioning platform, contrary to its primary purpose of legislating, reviewing, repealing and amending laws.
Meanwhile, All People’s Party parliamentarian Ambrosius Kumbwa this week agreed that the speaker should shoulder part of the blame.
He accused the speaker of sometimes engaging in arguments with MPs and defending ministers when they fail to adequately respond to questions or are absent from the parliament, particularly during question-and-answer sessions on Thursdays.
According to Kumbwa, such conduct contributes to a backlog and frustrations in legislature.
