Labour Minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel has blocked the reappointment of Labour Advisory Council members who have served for up to 12 years.
Immanuel is unambiguous: it is time to inject fresh blood into one of Namibia's most important labour institutions.
The decision is intended to promote fairness, diversity, efficiency and broader representation while preventing the council from being dominated by the same individuals for nearly a decade, he said.
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"The requested nominations provide me with a pool of candidates from which to make appointments, owing to diversity in terms of gender, skills and experience, which is critical in industrial democracy," Immanuel said in correspondence to the organisations.
He further stated that nominees must also not have already served on the Council for more than two terms.
The Labour Advisory Council is established under the Labour Act to advise the minister on labour legislation, employment policies and industrial relations. It brings together representatives from government, organised labour and employers.
Immanuel initially requested that trade unions and employers' organisations submit between two and six nominees, depending on the number of seats allocated to each organisation.
However, instead of providing the requested list of candidates, several organisations resubmitted only their preferred representatives, insisting that government has no authority to choose who should represent them.
In a joint statement issued on Monday, the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW), Trade Union Congress of Namibia (TUCNA), Namibia Employers' Federation (NEF) and the Namibia Employers Association (NEA) accused the minister of interfering with the independence of social partners. The organisations said the government should appoint the representatives nominated by their respective constituencies rather than selecting from a list of candidates. "The issue is about protecting the independence of the social partners, the representative character of the Council and the integrity of social dialogue and tripartism in Namibia," the four organisations said.
They further argued that the Labour Act requires the minister to invite nominations before making appointments but does not empower government to determine who should represent organised labour and organised business. TUCNA was among the organisations that rejected the minister's request.
According to reliable sources that spoke to New Era on condition of anonymity, TUCNA refused to submit additional nominees, insisting that its original nominee, secretary general Mahongora Kavihuha, remains its sole representative for appointment to the Labour Advisory Council. TUCNA argues, fervently so, that the minister's request for a pool of candidates amounts to government interference in the internal affairs of trade unions, saying it is the federation, not the state, that has the mandate to determine who represents organised labour. The federation further accused Immanuel of attempting to dictate "who, how and where" trade unions should deploy their representatives, describing the directive as "undue interference" that undermines the democratic right of unions to select their own delegates.
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TUCNA urged the minister to honour its original nomination and appoint its preferred candidate to the Labour Advisory Council. The Namibia Employers' Federation also refused to submit additional names, arguing that its original nominees were the most experienced and suitable candidates and warning that allowing the minister to choose representatives would dilute its mandate under the Labour Act. Despite the resistance, Immanuel has stood his ground. Broader nominations are necessary to modernise the council's composition and ensure appointments reflect diversity, skills and experience rather than long-standing incumbency. [email protected]
