Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani has threatened to ban foreign travel for PDM members of parliament (MP), saying anyone who dares to travel should consider themselves fired.
The Namibian was informed that Venaani sent a text message to 16 party parliamentarians on Saturday night.
“No single MP or any leader is allowed to travel outside Namibia unless on movement mission or sanctioned by the leadership. We had enough sightseeing, let’s focus on our work at hand. If you travel deliberately, consider yourself fired,” Venaani said.
Venaani added, “all travels are embargoed until we finish elections. Finish and klaar.”
Venaani in his text message said he has cancelled statutory meetings at the Pan-African Parliament.
“This movement to some has become sightseeing and daily subsistence allowance raking until leaders discuss it with parliamentary staff. Please be warned, no more travels,” he wrote.
Two PDM parliamentarians, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed receiving the text from Venaani at 20h30 on Saturday.
One of the party MPs says some young PDM parliamentarians travel abroad without informing the party.
“They don’t miss trips. They are there to travel. Even when they attend those parliamentary events, they don’t say anything there. They go there to shop. It’s really frustrating and that’s the reason why Venaani has to take such a decision,” a senior party leader told The Namibian yesterday.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Venaani defended his decision, saying it is part of his prerogative as party president to direct what happens.
He said his decision is informed by the fact that the party has a “very serious” election and party leaders are considering going abroad to study things that they are able to study on their computers.
“I have taken a principled decision. Over the last five years, I have never travelled more than once to attend parliamentary gatherings. These are things that you can learn from the desktop. So when we make a decision that no one travels, we are taking it on a backdrop that every MP who wants to be voted in must seek a mandate from the people. How do you seek a mandate if you are abroad, how do you represent people if you are abroad?” Venaani asked.
He said he was supposed to head a commission of the Pan-African Parliament in South Africa, but that other people should represent him as this is election time.
“Our focus is elections. We need to go out and get the votes. No one travels. We go and seek the votes. If anybody dares to defy me, I will take action. Nobody will have the right to defy [sic]. It’s an order. It’s a presidential order in the party,” Venaani said.
He said anyone who wishes to travel should get permission from the party.
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