An attempt to secure an apology to Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda and National Assembly member Ester Haikola-Sakaria, who were removed from the chamber last week during a protest, has been rejected by speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
Swanu of Namibia president Evilastus Kaaronda on Tuesday said an apology and retraction by the minister of information and communication technology over remarks about “Swapo Party’s sister-in-law”, directed at member of parliament Bertha Nghifikwa, had vindicated members who protested the remarks.
Kaaronda said an apology should be extended to them.
“Had it not been for the statement, they would not have protested,” Kaaronda said, calling for an apology to the two members of parliament (MPs) over the manner in which they were handled.
However, the speaker ruled Kaaronda out of order, saying his intervention was unrelated to the business before the House.
The speaker also rejected the suggestion that dissatisfaction with the presiding officer’s ruling justified defying directives.
“It doesn’t justify that the member should conduct themselves the way that they have conducted themselves towards the presiding officer,” she said.
The speaker warned that such conduct was dangerous in a country governed by the rule of law, stressing that MPs unhappy with a ruling should use established procedures to raise their grievances.
