Namibia: Executing the Parliamentary Task

11 April 2014
editorial

NOT so long ago the Namibian Parliament formulated and pursued the initiative of 'taking Parliament to the people.' It was an approach borne by the desire to bring ordinary people inside Parliament, as it were, to make them understand there is a direct link between their aspirations as articulated to their leaders in their constituencies and regions, and the discussions that take place in Parliament, be it in the National Assembly or the National Council. It was a noble undertaking that encapsulated the democratic principle of a 'government by the people for the people'.

Recent public discussions by ordinary citizens, and by Members of Parliament, either inside Parliament or outside, remind of such principled task of yesteryear, but that perhaps it is time the country builds on the idea. Especially when it seems certain quarters of society appear to take lightly the institution of Parliament, either through sheer ignorance or a fundamental absence of information. It should be mentioned that often MPs tend to fall short of their parliamentary tasks and as such render the public to forget just how important Parliament is, not only to democracy and good governance, but to the very existence of the Namibian republic.

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