Africa-Press – Namibia. In this edition of On the Spot, we sit down with legal and governance expert Fillemon Wise Immanuel (WI), who was recently appointed as minister of Justice and Labour Relations.
In this candid conversation, we trace his humble beginnings, student leadership days, and his transition from legal and governance expert to national policymaker.
AS – Minister, before we dive into more serious matters, could you briefly tell us about your upbringing? What kind of environment did you grow up in?
WI: I would describe myself as a rural boy. I grew up in a village called Onaluhaka in the Onihandila District, which is part of the Oshikoto region. That’s where I spent most of my childhood.
I also lived in Ongwediva for a while, where I began my early education at the International Primary School from Grade 1 to Grade 2.
AS: When you were at Mweshipandeka Secondary School, what kind of young man were you? Walk us through your journey.
WI: Before getting into my high school experience, I think it’s important to reflect on my time at Amen Primary School. School attendance wasn’t always easy. We had to split our time between school and helping our parents with livestock, especially during times of drought. It was common for us to be sent to far-off grazing areas like Ombuga to care for the animals. We would ride horses to school from these posts, and return afterwards to continue herding. That was our reality.
Despite the hardships, my time at the International Primary School taught me the importance of speaking English. I encouraged my teachers at Amen to promote English use in the classroom. Eventually, the school adopted a policy mandating English during lessons, and any learner who spoke Oshindonga would face disciplinary action. I also served as class captain, and led the debating club from an early age.
AS – Since your school days, what has been your ultimate vision? Has governance, legal affairs and leadership always been your goal?
WI: To be honest, back then, we didn’t speak of “visions”. Our parents encouraged us to attend school, learn how to read and write, and, if lucky, proceed to tertiary education to secure a better job. For most of us, the main career options we knew were becoming a teacher or a nurse.
AS: You were also the president of the Unam SRC. Do you believe that political involvement shaped who you are today?
WI: It definitely played a role. But at the time, I wasn’t necessarily working towards a specific outcome. I simply wanted to be of service to others. Whenever I noticed something needed fixing, I stepped in to help. That sense of service has always guided me.
AS: How did you get here? Take us through your journey.
WI: Apart from my student activism – I served as head boy, later as an SRC member responsible for academic affairs and eventually as SRC president at Unam – I also held leadership roles in the Swapo Party Youth League, including serving in the district executive, and being appointed National Assistant Secretary for Information and Mobilisation by new Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare.
Professionally, I started as a regional economic development planner with the Khomas Regional Council. That role introduced me to political environments early on. After eight months, I moved to UNAM as Head of Student Leadership Development and Support, where I mentored students and promoted leadership. That role reignited my passion for service. Later, I became the Head of Campus Administration at UNAM’s School of Medicine, helping to establish the campus from the ground up – an achievement I’m particularly proud of.
Following that, I joined the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) as company secretary, and later as executive for governance and legal services. At NSFAF, I was responsible for legal compliance, governance structures and supporting the board and management. I also served on the former Tender Board of Namibia, where I helped draft the current Public Procurement Act, and I recently served on the Review Panel under the Ministry of Finance.
AS: What was your reaction when news about the appointment reached your ears?
WI: The communication came in two parts. First, I was informed that the President had nominated me as one of her eight appointees to the National Assembly. At that moment, I simply thought I was going to contribute through debate in Parliament. I asked myself, “Am I ready?” and I answered, “Why not? What is it that I do not know?” Then, on Saturday morning, we were sworn in. Just before 15:00 ahead of the Cabinet announcement, I received the second part of the news – that the President had also appointed me minister of justice and labour relations. It was a humbling moment.
AS – How did the president deliver the news? Did she call you personally or through someone else?
WI: She called me herself.
AS – Did you anticipate it?
WI: No, I did not anticipate anything. In fact, I don’t live a life based on anticipation. I live every day as it comes – that’s always been my way.
AS- Being appointed minister of Justice and Labour Relations is a significant responsibility. What do you believe influenced the president’s decision, and how do you plan to align your leadership with her vision?
WI: I haven’t asked Her Excellency what influenced her decision. But I assume it could be my dedication and patriotism, and how I apply myself to every task. My background also possibly played a role – my education, legal practice, experience as a governance practitioner and legal scholar, an economist, and a student of strategy. These elements might explain why she selected me from among so many competent Namibians.
AS: Now that you’re in your second week in office, what’s your vision for the ministry?
WI: My central focus is to lead the national legislative agenda – ensuring laws are drafted quickly and reformed where necessary. I want to repeal any outdated laws which hinder socio-economic progress. I also aim to enhance access to justice through initiatives like expanding community courts under traditional authorities, which help ease the burden on magistrate’s courts.
We’re also exploring the idea of establishing a public procurement court, especially given ongoing amendments to the Public Procurement Act. This court would handle tender-related cases, easing pressure on the High Courts. The merger of justice and labour under one ministry brings two critical groups together, and I believe this alignment creates an opportunity for streamlined reform and greater national impact.
AS: The merger of the justice and labour relations’ ministries has been received with mixed feelings. How do you allay those fears?
WI: I have heard of some pedestrian conversations around the issues of merging justice and labour, but it’s really a non-issue. If you look at it in a more logical fashion, you will soon realise that justice and labour are one thing because the employees and labourers are seeking justice. Most of the cases at the Labour Commission are cases by workers or employees who are seeking justice, except that it is from an industrial perspective.
Justice, on the other hand, is what it is – making sure people are treated fairly and with dignity, and in so doing, they are provided with an opportunity to be heard by bringing their side of things, and then ensuring that there are laws and a regulatory framework which regulates the conduct of each and every citizen, which, in any event, is what labour relations is about at the end of the day.
When employees are complaining about being underpaid, when they complain about unfair labour practices at the workplace, when they complain about not having safety gear at factories and at mines and all those types of things, it’s a voice crying for justice.
Hence, in my view, pulling the resources together, you know, having the integrated coordinations and approach towards the resolutions or the handling of labour cases towards justice is better off when you have one portion there and the other there, and they are being handled differently. I think bringing them under one roof for me will probably give us an efficient game.
Source: neweralive
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