Staff Reporter
PARLIAMENT advanced several key legislative reforms during its recently concluded second session, including budget approvals, land reform legislation, governance reforms for public enterprises and regional councils, and progress on the Mental Health Bill, National Assembly Speaker Hon. Dr Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has said. She added that the session also strengthened parliamentary oversight, public participation and democratic debate, with lawmakers preparing to continue work on outstanding bills in the next session.
Speaking in an interview with Government Information Centre host, Ms. Grace Kavei, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the National Assembly considered and approved both the Appropriation Bill and a revised Appropriation Act, enabling government to fund key programmes such as free education, agriculture support and other reforms.
Among the major bills debated during the session were the Land Bill, aimed at reforming the land sector, the Regional Councils Amendment Bill, the Public Enterprises Governance Amendment Bill, and the Mental Health Bill, which she described as one of the most advanced pieces of legislation currently before the House. The Mental Health Bill, she said, was particularly urgent given rising cases of suicide and violent crime linked to mental health challenges.
She said notices had also been received for several bills yet to be motivated, including the Accountants and Auditors Regulatory Authority Bill, the Income Tax Amendment Bill and the Petroleum Exploration and Production Amendment Bill, which seeks to update the legal framework governing the petroleum sector following recent oil discoveries in Namibia.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the legislation under consideration addressed pressing national challenges such as health care, landlessness, unemployment, governance and economic growth. She said that land reform was central to reducing inequality and poverty, while reforms in agriculture could improve food security, create jobs and boost exports. Updating petroleum legislation, she added, was urgent to ensure sound governance of natural resources.
She said public administration reforms, including laws governing regional councils, public enterprises and professional regulators, were also essential to strengthening governance and accountability. “These laws may appear technical, but their impact on economic growth and national development can be profound,” she said.
Reflecting on lessons from the second session, the Speaker said Parliament had become more politically diverse, which had strengthened democratic debate. She said lawmakers were learning to manage political differences constructively while remaining focused on serving the Namibian people. Committee outreach programmes, benchmarking with other countries and international engagement, she added, were helping to improve lawmaking, representation and oversight.
On legislative priorities, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said Parliament’s agenda was guided largely by bills tabled by Cabinet in line with the Constitution, although Members of Parliament also had the right to introduce private members’ bills and the Assembly could initiate its own legislation.
She said Parliament aligned its priorities with national development goals by ensuring laws were responsive to the needs of citizens and by promoting participatory democracy through public consultations. Institutions such as the Law Reform Commission also played a role in ensuring legislation remained up to date, while parliamentary oversight ensured that gaps in the legal framework were addressed.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the Speaker’s role in ensuring fairness in parliamentary debates was guided by standing rules and orders, which regulated speaking time, the order of business and the allocation of the floor. She added that mechanisms were in place for members to raise grievances if they felt unfairly treated.
She said cooperation between the ruling party and opposition was fostered through consultations among party whips and parliamentary leadership, noting that opposition proposals had, in the past, led to amendments of government bills in the interest of the public. “Once we take the oath, we represent all Namibians, not only our parties,” she said.
On parliamentary independence and executive oversight, the Speaker said Parliament’s autonomy was essential to effective oversight, and that debate in the House allowed for different perspectives to improve legislation. She stressed that disagreement did not make lawmakers adversaries, but rather strengthened policy outcomes.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said public trust in Parliament was strengthened through transparency, open debates, the handling of public petitions and follow-up by committees and ministries. Outreach programmes, engagement with civil society and cooperation with international partners, she added, had improved civic participation and parliamentary diplomacy.
She said Parliament had so far made progress by initiating debate on key reform bills and passing budget legislation in time to avert a potential government shutdown. While acknowledging the need to improve the pace of lawmaking, she said thorough scrutiny and public consultation were necessary to ensure laws were effective and widely accepted.
Looking ahead, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said Parliament aimed to strengthen community engagement, modernise processes through initiatives such as e-Parliament, and explore the use of artificial intelligence to support lawmakers in analysing bills, including assessing gender mainstreaming, inclusion of marginalised groups and sustainability impacts.
She said the legacy Parliament hoped to leave was a stronger democracy built on respect for differing views, strong institutions and laws that were responsive to the needs of the people. “We must be able to differ without being disagreeable, strengthen our institutions, and build on the constitutional foundations laid by our forefathers,” she said.
Photo: MICT
