Staff Reporter
A HEATED exchange erupted in the National Assembly today after Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofilus referred to an Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member as a “SWAPO Party sister-in-law”, with opposition members objecting before two members were ordered to leave the chamber for banging on their desks.
The incident occurred after Theofilus thanked Agriculture Minister Inge Zaamwani for nominating women to the Land Reform Advisory Commission, saying the appointments demonstrated confidence in their abilities and contributions to the commission.
“I join our progressive SWAPO Party sister-in-law who sits on the other side of the aisle, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) Hon. Bertha Victoria Nghifikwa, in thanking you for nominating women to this commission,” Theofilus said.
The remark was followed by a disruption from opposition members, with Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member Ester Ishiwa Haikola and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) member Job Shipululo Amupanda among those banging on the desks.
The disruption occurred as the House was preparing to resume consideration of a motion on Namibia’s support and solidarity for the people of Cuba against the continued financial embargo by the United States of America.
Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila ordered Haikola and Amupanda to leave the chamber, accusing them of banging on the desks and disrupting proceedings.
“Please leave the House,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila repeatedly ordered, warning that security would be called to escort the two members out.
Amupanda challenged the ruling, arguing that members regularly bang on their desks during motions and that he had not been the only person involved.
He also questioned the procedure being followed, saying that if his conduct had violated the rules, the Speaker should specify the rule and the conduct in question.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila maintained that Amupanda had been banging on the desk while the Secretary was reading the next order of the day and had been instructed to stop.
She offered Amupanda the option of apologising for his conduct or leaving the House.
“You have the floor either in terms of Rule 109 to express an apology or, if you don’t want to do that, I will order that you leave the House,” she said.
Amupanda then questioned the application of Rule 109, pointing out that it referred to a written expression of apology by a member who had been suspended or named in terms of the Standing Rules.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila subsequently ruled that Amupanda should leave the House.
PDM leader McHenry Venaani intervened, appealing to both the opposition and the Speaker to de-escalate the situation and return to parliamentary business.
Venaani said political disagreements and remarks should not be allowed to disrupt the work of the National Assembly, while acknowledging that Theofilus’ reference to a member as a “sister-in-law” had caused concern among opposition members.
He argued that the remark should either have been withdrawn or dealt with without allowing the situation to escalate into the removal of members from the House.
“Little things should not be made big things,” Venaani said, urging members to focus on the work of Parliament.
He also appealed to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila to reconsider the decision to remove the members, saying the Speaker should balance the need to enforce parliamentary rules with the need to keep proceedings moving.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, however, maintained that she had already made a ruling after Haikola and Amupanda disrupted proceedings by banging on their desks.
Haikola and Amupanda subsequently left the chamber under security escort.
Following their removal, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila told members that she did not enjoy ordering members out of the House but warned that parliamentary decorum and rules had to be respected.
“I have reached the limit of my patience,” she said, urging members to put aside jokes and interpretations of the rules and adhere to parliamentary procedures so that orderly discussions could continue.
The Speaker appealed to all members to respect the rules and conduct themselves appropriately during proceedings.
Video: Parliament of the Republic of Namibia
