Africa-Press – Namibia. OPPOSITION members of parliament believe the Cabinet has procedurally failed to table the joint genocide draft declaration correctly by allowing the minister of defence and veterans affairs Frans Kapofi to bring the motion to the National Assembly (NA) yesterday afternoon.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani asked why Kapofi was allowed to table an agreement related to two foreign countries. “This is a bilateral agreement between two foreign countries. Where does the minister of defence have the right to table something related to our foreign relations? Not the prime minister, not the deputy prime minister, but the minister of defence?” Venaani asked.
The speaker of the NA, Peter Katjavivi, defended Kapofi, saying the government chose the representative they felt was most suitable. Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) leader Mike Kavekotora also objected, saying the government cannot pick and choose who needs to address issues.
He agreed with Venaani, who said only the prime minister, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, is allowed to speak on any matter, because she is the head of the government.
“Can I post a question about something to another minister? That argument of yours is illogical,” he challenged Katjavivi. Venaani said the declaration was signed by two foreign affairs representatives of Namibia and Germany, and that Kapofi should not have tabled it.
At the memorial service of former minister Kazenambo Kazenambo, Venaani said he would take the genocide deal seriously and oppose it, because it is not a dignified agreement for the Ovaherero and Nama people. The Namibian government has provisionally agreed to accept the German government’s apology for the 1904 to 1908 genocide.
In a joint draft declaration on the recently ended negotiations seen by The Namibian, the German government acknowledged that the events indeed constituted a genocide in “today’s perspective”, and in addition, the Namibian government and its people would accept Germany’s apology.
The draft document shows that Germany also recognises its moral responsibility for the colonisation of Namibia and the developments that led to the genocide.
As part of the ended negotiations, Germany has offered Namibia €1,1 billion, which translates to N$18,6 billion at today’s exchange rate to be paid over 30 years – an amount which has been regarded as an insult by the affected communities and their traditional authority leaders.
The declaration went on to say that both governments share the understanding that the amount offered settles all financial aspects of issues relating to the genocide.
According to the declaration, Germany would provide €105 million for reconstruction and development support (N$1,7 billion), €50 million for remembrance and research (N$827 million), and €110 million for the implementation of projects (N$1,8million).
