WINDHOEK – Swapo Party Member of Parliament Kazenambo Kazenambo has taken issue with the use of social network platforms, particularly Facebook, in Namibia.
Speaking in the National Assembly yesterday Kazenambo said many Namibians are using Facebook to malign and denigrate others, a practice he says borders on the infringement of the fundamental human rights of those at the receiving end. He asked whether the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology has any mechanisms in place to control the use of social sites in the country. He said many Namibians are attacking each others, mentioning things that they would not be able to stand by if challenged in court.
“Last year, my lawyers and I were about to sue someone, because of things that were said about me on ‘Bookface’, as our President [Hifikepunye Pohamba] has called it [Facebook], but because of the spirit of reconciliation that came after the Swapo Party congress, we decided to let it go,” Kazenambo said. Kazenambo, a former journalist and youth minister, then requested the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to look into the use of social media and come up with a legal instrument and policies to regulate the use of social media. Kazenambo was contributing to the debate on the Report of the 128th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, which adopted a resolution on the use of media, including social media to enhance engagement and democracy. Although, no one rose to speak on those issues, many parliamentarians were in agreement with Kazenambo.
The use of social media has been responsible for a fair amount of acrimonious controversy in the past among political leaders, including President Hifikepunye Pohamba and technology savvy young people in the country. A few months ago, the Swapo Party cracked the whip on its youth League wing over posts left by some of its executive members on Facebook directed against other party members, which was deemed disrespectful and contrary to the party line. The Swapo Party Youth League was then ordered to issue a public apology to that effect. NUDO MP Arnold Tjihuiko gave notice that he would table a motion next week on the use of social media in the country.
By Tonateni Shidhudhu