Africa-Press – Namibia. THE National Assembly (NA) is still investigating alleged offensive language used by Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa during a parliament session two weeks ago.
NA senior spokesperson Sacky Kadhikwa last week said the parliament is not aware of the incident.
“The National Assembly is committed to upholding the highest standards of conduct among its members, as outlined in the standing rules, orders, and internal arrangements.
“In this regard, the National Assembly is in the process of ascertaining the facts surrounding the alleged incident in this matter,” he said.
The parliament last week erupted in chaos after Shaningwa allegedly said “f*ck you” to Independent Patriots for Change member of parliament (MP) Linoovene Hishoono, whose turn it was to speak.
This has sparked debates among parliamentarians and the general public with concerns raised over MPs’ conduct.
Official opposition leader Imms Nashinge, alongside Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda, has called for action to be taken to condemn such behaviour.
NA speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila at the time advised the parliamentarians to wait for the records of the session to determine whether Shaningwa indeed said “f*ck you”.
Kadhikwa said as per a rule of parliament, NA members must always maintain the order and decorum of the house and treat each other, visitors, guests, presiding members, and staff with respect and dignity.
Another rule stipulates that a member may not use defamatory, offensive, provocative, abusive, insulting, disrespectful, unbecoming, or unparliamentary words or language, nor offensive, unbecoming, or threatening gestures during proceedings.
A member who breaches any of these rules may, after a warning by the speaker, be sent out of the chamber for the remainder of the sitting day.
The presiding member may – if he or she is the speaker – after hearing the reason for the specific conduct, suspend the member for a period provided for in the rules and order him or her to leave the chamber immediately.
Kadhikwa said a member could be suspended for a week.
The parliamentary rules, he said, are designed to maintain order and decorum in the chamber, and it gives members a chance to explain themselves to ensure discipline is fair and transparent, and distinguish between minor and serious misconduct with escalating consequences.
Such a member according to the rules, who wilfully fails or refuses to obey any rule, order, or resolution of the House may be found guilty of contempt of the House.
Such a complaint will then be referred to the committee of privileges.
“This committee, in accordance with the provisions of the Powers, Privileges, and Immunities of Parliament Act, must investigate the complaint and report its findings along with recommendations to the house (Rule 110 (1) and Rule 111 (1)),” the rule reads.
Upon conclusion of the investigation, Kadhikwa said the NA may impose a formal warning, a reprimand, or an order to issue an apology to the NA or to the aggrieved individual.
Nashinge says the truth is out there and the records must be concluded to clarify the matter.
He says it is tempting for the parliament to allow such acts to go unpunished.
“If we heard wrongly, then we will accept that, but what we cannot do is to spread lies and not listen to the audios.
“The National Assembly media is also partisan, because when those words were uttered, they chose to only show honourable Hishoono and not the Swapo sectretary general who disrupted the member on the floor addressing us,” he says.
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