Opposition parties are divided over calls to remove National Assembly speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, with some pushing for her removal and others warning that this would not solve the parliament’s deepening crises.
This comes after Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) lawmaker Imms Nashinge in September called for a vote of no confidence in Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, saying she is ruling the parliament with an “iron fist” and bias.
Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani has cautioned against using impeachment to settle political disagreements, arguing that the National Assembly must prioritise consultation, discipline and respect for parliamentary procedures.
Speaking recently on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), Venaani said the parliament’s changing political landscape, marked by an influx of young members, has contributed to tensions, with some inexperienced legislators struggling to understand parliamentary conventions.
“Most of the members of parliament (MPs) are directly from university. You also have new MPs who are unruly, very inexperienced, and sometimes uncouth,” he told NBC.
Venaani criticised the time spent debating issues such as dress codes, saying the parliament should focus on pressing national challenges rather than procedural disputes.
He questioned the speaker’s handling of MPs, arguing that she sometimes ruled members out of order without adequately hearing their arguments.
“Being a leader, sometimes for too long, you develop a culture of not listening, and leadership is a listening skill,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Venaani said his party does not currently support removing Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, arguing that her shortcomings could be addressed through consultations involving political parties and chief whips.
“You cannot bring impeachment on the basis of disagreement. Your fundamental reasons must be strong,” he said.
Venaani warned that the parliament was losing valuable time to procedural battles, saying 30% of its term had already passed without it adopting as many bills as expected.
The debate has intensified as Affirmative Repositioning and the National Democratic Party have also called for the speaker’s removal, while Swapo has strongly defended her.
IPC parliamentarian Michael Mulunga, who has attempted to table the motion seeking the speaker’s removal, has previously said he was working to finalise the legal requirements.
He yesterday said consultations and assessments were continuing, although the date for proceeding with the motion remained unknown.
All People’s Party president Ambrosius Kumbwa says removing the speaker would not automatically resolve the parliament’s problems.
He says the crisis was fuelled by conflicting interpretations of standing rules, a lack of self-discipline and MPs’ failure to uphold parliamentary decorum.
Kumbwa calls for amendments to selected rules, particularly amid what he describes as the abuse of rule 92, which allows MPs to raise points of order.
He warns that continued intimidation, personal attacks and unparliamentary language could undermine public trust in the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, Body of Christ Party president Festus Thomas has distanced his party from calls for the speaker’s removal, saying it has neither tabled a separate motion nor advocated her removal outside parliamentary procedures.
“We have not called for the removal of the speaker. There is a motion already before the house by the IPC. That motion must be allowed to take its constitutional course,” he says.
The party says the parliament should instead focus on urgent service delivery challenges, including water provision and police services.
Republican Party chief whip Mathias Mbundu has declined to comment on the matter.
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