Windhoek — SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Theo-Ben Gurirab, is receiving African support as the continent's candidate to become leader of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) in October this year.

Gurirab officially launched his candidacy towards the end of last year.

On Monday he received backing from Patrick Balopi, Speaker of the Botswana Parliament.

Speaking at the opening of the first session of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) of 2008, Balopi asked members "to endorse the candidature of Namibia's Speaker, Theo-Ben Gurirab".

African representatives at the IPU meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, last month showed strong support for the Namibian candidate.

However, the organisation AsiaAfroRights wrote on its website this week that "it remains to be seen whether the Namibian would in such a position, forced by African tradition, remain mum in cases where countries friendly to Namibia violate the human rights of their people".

The IPU was formed in 1889.

Its members are comprised of parliaments from more than 140 countries.