Nudo youth demand decorum in Parliament

Zebaldt Ngaruka 

The National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) Youth League has appealed to members of Parliament (MPs) to maintain public trust, ensure orderly lawmaking and allow diverse political views to be debated fairly in the chamber. 

Recently, there has been push and pull among MPs and the Speaker of the House, which has raised eyebrows among members of the public and lawmakers. 

Veparura Kandirikirira, NUDO Youth League Secretary General (SG), said Parliament is the cornerstone of democracy, and its rules must be followed by all MPs. 

“It is very concerning when political disagreements begin to undermine the orderly conduct of parliamentary business. This creates the perception that partisan interests are taking precedence over the national interest,” he said. 

Kandirikirira added that the NUDO Youth League knows that Parliament is a place of robust debate and legitimate disagreement, thus members must be free to challenge one another. 

He said MPs must question government and defend the interests of their constituencies; however, political disagreements must never be allowed to become parliamentary paralysis. 

Furthermore, Kandirikirira appealed to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Sara Kukongelwa, to exercise her office with fairness and impartiality and to do everything within her mandate to hold the House together. 

“The Speaker must be the stabilising authority in the chamber. Her responsibility is not to protect the interests of the government or the opposition, but to protect the integrity, dignity and proper functioning of Parliament itself,” he said. He thus called on the Speaker to enforce the standing rules consistently and impartially, regardless of the political party or seniority of the member involved. 

The Speaker, Kandirikirira said, must maintain order and discipline in the chamber and intervene decisively when proceedings descend into disorder, personal attacks, intimidation or unnecessary disruption. 

“She must protect the right of every member to be heard, while equally ensuring that the right to speak does not become a licence to obstruct parliamentary business. Also, she must ensure that parliamentary debate remains focused on national issues, rather than allowing the chamber to become consumed by partisan political exchanges,” said the SG. 

Kandirikirira further urged the Speaker to use her authority to facilitate dialogue and de-escalation when tensions arise between members or political parties. 

“The Speaker must encourage members to resolve procedural disagreements through the established parliamentary mechanisms, rather than through confrontation on the floor. She has to ensure that parliamentary time is used responsibly, particularly where important legislative matters of national interest remain outstanding,” he added. 

Kandirikirira appealed to the Speaker to encourage the government and opposition to engage constructively on outstanding bills and to identify areas where reasonable compromise is possible. 

These include guarding the dignity and reputation of the National Assembly, recognising that conduct inside the chamber directly affects public confidence in Parliament. 

“She must exercise leadership in moments of crisis or deadlock, bringing members back to the central purpose of Parliament. She must resist any pressure to allow the authority of the chairperson to become an instrument of partisan politics,” he said, adding that the Speaker must be seen to belong to the house as a whole. 

Moreover, the youth leader urged all MPs from both sides of the house to stop playing politics at the expense of parliamentary business. 

He lamented that members must recognise that there is a fundamental difference between political contestation and parliamentary obstruction. 

Kandirikirira emphasised that MPs have the right to disagree, challenge bills, question ministers and criticise government policy, but have the responsibility to ensure that Parliament remains functional. 

“We therefore urge members to argue their positions with maturity, discipline and respect, and to resist personal attacks, unnecessary provocation, walkouts and other forms of disruption where parliamentary mechanisms remain available to solve the disagreement,” he said. He further called on parliamentarians from both sides of the house to find amicable and practical grounds for agreement on the outstanding bills before the house. 

“The country cannot afford important legislation to remain hostage to political confrontation. Where there are genuine disagreements, let them debate. Where amendments are justified, let them be considered. Where common ground exists, let members have the courage to acknowledge it,” he said. 

He added that Namibian’s are facing serious challenges which need to be legislated and scrutinised. 

“They do not need a chamber paralysed by political brinkmanship,” he concluded. 

-zngaruka@gmail.com 

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