OPPOSITION DEFENDS OVERSIGHT ROLE IN PARLIAMENT - nbc

Opposition parties in the National Assembly have rejected claims that they are unruly and ineffective, maintaining that their constitutional role is to scrutinise government actions and hold the executive accountable. The parties accused Speaker of the National Assembly Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila of bias and stated that she frequently engages in debates with members as opposed to her presiding role. They also accused the ruling party of prioritising its own legislative agenda while failing to address the growing backlog of unanswered parliamentary questions submitted by the opposition. IPC Leader in the National Assembly Immanuel Nashinge states, "At times when we need to be providing logic, the ruling party rules to divide the house and just votes. So that is a problem that we are facing. So really, I just wanted to take you through and say that. So that all of us also can share our experiences as members, as seven of the people in this house of the people, and what we are going through." AR Leader Prof. Job Amupanda reiterates, "We are actually being sold a dummy by our media, who seem to only focus on the Swapo narrative. So it's very important. Our only option to represent our people is to fight for that space, as the story of parliament is not being told fully. We have been presented as rowdy and disruptive, and we must just be like zombies promoting corruption. But we know our people are following and listening." "We are here for the laws which should benefit the masses of this country. 'That's why we are here at the eighth parliament, and we are united in principle,' stressed NDP President Martin Lukato. The opposition parties again questioned the process of the appointment of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia. "They want to impose a vote on anything. There is no reasonability or debate on matters. We are saying, "Let's level the politics of the country "first towards compromise, first to raising the argument, "and raise the level of debate in the House "so that we can be able to ventilate the issues "in the national interest of our country," says President of the PDM, McHenry Venaani. LPM's chief whip Dawid ≠Eigub and APP's president Ambrosius Kumbwa also contributed their views. "We have a responsibility as opposition political parties in the interest of the nation to ensure that the Electoral Commission has credible people that are going to safeguard the election. We are not going to allow it. We are not going to do it now. And we are not going to do it ever. We will never accept a Parliament where debate is sacrificed for expediency." "Government must recognise the opposition party as a leg in good governance, not as ignoring what the government is saying, but we must come together one good time to discuss matters of national concern." The opposition called for parliamentary rules, standards and democratic principles to be upheld to ensure fairness and accountability.