Chrispin Inambao And Max Hamata
28 March 2003
THE National Assembly yesterday approved the Combating of Domestic Violence Bill after months of footdragging by the male-dominated assembly who feared it would infringe on their marital rights.
The legislation now goes to the the House of Review, the National Council.
The NA rejected earlier claims by DTA-UDF parliamentarian Phillemon Moongo that some men became violent because their women caused them to become impotent through witchcraft.
Yesterday Deputy Minister of Justice Albert Kawana said: "We need to meet the wishes of our President who urged this august House to pass the Bill speedily so that the Government can effectively address the problem of domestic violence in our society.
We must avoid a situation where the Bill once passed is turned into a white elephant.
We need this law to enjoy the support of the whole nation so that victims of domestic violence can properly be protected".
Added Kawana: "Women who are victims of domestic violence are crying out for help, children are crying out for help, men are quietly suffering in silence, the nation is demanding action.
It is now high time that this Bill is passed without any further delay".
Kawana said an attempt had also been made to give guidelines to courts as to what constitutes emotional, verbal or psychological abuse.
Regarding minors approaching the court without the consent of adults on a domestic matter, as raised by deputy ministers Peter Ilonga and Jeremiah Nambinga, Kawana said complaints by minors acting alone could only be accommodated if they involved "physical abuse, sexual abuse and intimidation".
Kawana also addressed concens among male MPs.
Some MPs, particularly those from the opposition benches, have claimed that some women refused to sleep with their husbands upon request, while DTA-UDF Coalition leader Katuutire Kaura asked how a husband can be charged of raping his wife in a matrimonial home.
Kawana explained that the issue of the conjugal rights of spouses such as sex and others were clearly spelled out in the Married Persons Equality Act.
Yesterday Kaura said passing the Combating of Domestic Violence Bill was not enough to combat domestic violence.
"We must change the attitudes of our people.
The law by itself will not be enough," he said.
Swapo MP Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah agreed.
She said the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare would soon start legal literacy programmes.
She appealed to other MPS to attend the courses, saying it would help them to understand the laws much better.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said she hoped the Bill "brings peace in our country and violence becomes something of the past".
During debate, another senior Swapo MP, Minister of Trade and Industry Jesaya Nyamu, had trashed the Bill as "based on alien culture and tradition".
Claimed an irate Nyamu: "This bill will be used by malicious elements to destroy family lives.
The law we are trying to pass here gives outsiders leeway (on) how to manage your family lives.
"I want to appeal to our ancestors to pray for us not to pass the bill".
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