Africa-Press – Namibia. Andreas Thomas
THE speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, says the working relationship and interaction between the parliament and Chapter 9 institutions need to be strengthened.
Andreas Thomas
THE speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, says the working relationship and interaction between the parliament and Chapter 9 institutions need to be strengthened.
He says the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) and the Office of the Ombudsman will report to the parliament through the speaker’s office from now on.
“I do not know whether you are aware that a number of institutions . . . are now reporting to the parliament through the Office of the Speaker,” Katjavivi said last week during a meeting with the ombudsman, Basilius Dyakugha.
Dyakugha met with the speaker to officially hand over the Annual Ombudsman Report for 2021/22.
Katjavivi said the Office of the Ombudsman, the ACC and the ECN are important constitutional bodies reporting to the parliament.
“This is in line with a number of parliaments on the African continent, particularly Ghana. It is a new development that we take on board, but it is also a commitment the Office of the Speaker must [make to] ensure we have appropriate capacity.
“We have to strengthen that particular aspect, that officials within the Office of the Speaker are able to interact with colleagues from these institutions.
“And not only when reports are being submitted, but there must be some ongoing conversation to make sure we smoothen interaction and coordination between our various institutions,” the speaker said.
ACC director general Paulus Noa says it is good that Chapter 9 institutions report directly to the parliament, since it would help to cement the independence of these bodies.
However, in terms of the ACC, Noa says there is currently no direct communication between the parliament and the anti-graft watchdog.
Noa says there is a need to establish a direct link with the parliament to separate the ACC from the executive to safeguard its independence.
This, he says, must be done by amending the Anti-Corruption Act, which currently compels the ACC to report to the Office of the Prime Minister.
“As it stands, we report to the prime minister. We submit reports to the prime minister, who then takes the report to the parliament for discussion and consideration,” Noa says.
ECN spokesperson Lina Ndengu says the commission is bound by law to report to the parliament.
Ndengu says Section 15 of the Electoral Act compels the commission to submit “a report in respect of its activities and the activities of committees during the preceding year in respect of any other matters related to elections” to the speaker.
He says the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) and the Office of the Ombudsman will report to the parliament through the speaker’s office from now on.
“I do not know whether you are aware that a number of institutions . . . are now reporting to the parliament through the Office of the Speaker,” Katjavivi said last week during a meeting with the ombudsman, Basilius Dyakugha.
Dyakugha met with the speaker to officially hand over the Annual Ombudsman Report for 2021/22.
Katjavivi said the Office of the Ombudsman, the ACC and the ECN are important constitutional bodies reporting to the parliament.
“This is in line with a number of parliaments on the African continent, particularly Ghana. It is a new development that we take on board, but it is also a commitment the Office of the Speaker must [make to] ensure we have appropriate capacity.
“We have to strengthen that particular aspect, that officials within the Office of the Speaker are able to interact with colleagues from these institutions.
“And not only when reports are being submitted, but there must be some ongoing conversation to make sure we smoothen interaction and coordination between our various institutions,” the speaker said.
ACC director general Paulus Noa says it is good that Chapter 9 institutions report directly to the parliament, since it would help to cement the independence of these bodies.
However, in terms of the ACC, Noa says there is currently no direct communication between the parliament and the anti-graft watchdog.
Noa says there is a need to establish a direct link with the parliament to separate the ACC from the executive to safeguard its independence.
This, he says, must be done by amending the Anti-Corruption Act, which currently compels the ACC to report to the Office of the Prime Minister.
“As it stands, we report to the prime minister. We submit reports to the prime minister, who then takes the report to the parliament for discussion and consideration,” Noa says.
ECN spokesperson Lina Ndengu says the commission is bound by law to report to the parliament.
Ndengu says Section 15 of the Electoral Act compels the commission to submit “a report in respect of its activities and the activities of committees during the preceding year in respect of any other matters related to elections” to the speaker.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
