Parliament is not a hammer that makes noise every time one follows parliamentary proceedings, nor a chamber of unnecessary points of privilege or order that aim to disturb those raising important national concerns. It is a sacred institution of accountability, where the people’s business must be taken seriously. Yet today, Namibia’s Parliament has reached a dangerous level of dysfunction — one that insults the intelligence of the people and betrays the democratic spirit of our Constitution.

Two motions were recently moved in Parliament calling for the extension of sitting hours so that Members could finish the work of the nation: to debate motions, question ministers, and pass laws that change lives. Both motions were shamelessly voted down by the Swapo Party — the very party that claims to represent the aspirations of the people. 

This rejection was not an act of principle; it was an act of arrogance and political convenience.

It is no secret that more than one hundred written questions remain unanswered on the Order Paper — many submitted months ago, some even dating back to March. Each question represents an issue that matters to a citizen somewhere: a community without water, a worker demanding fair pay, a young person waiting for a job opportunity. When those questions go unanswered, it is not Parliament that suffers — it is the people. 

It is the mother who must wait another year for her government to explain why a clinic remains closed. It is the farmer who still has no clarity on drought relief. Yet the ruling party acts as if time belongs to them, not to the people they serve.

The Constitution of Namibia, in Article 62(2), is clear: the National Assembly shall sit on such days and during such times of the day or night as it may determine by its own rules and standing orders. 

This means Parliament has the full constitutional power to extend its sitting hours. The Standing Rules and Orders equally make provision for such extension through a motion approved by the House. There is no legal barrier preventing Parliament from sitting longer, only a political one — the arrogance of a ruling elite that no longer feels accountable. When Swapo MPs vote against motions to extend sittings, they are not voting against the opposition; they are voting against the Namibian people.

Every Member of Parliament swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and to serve the public interest faithfully. Yet what we are witnessing is a culture of selective attendance and deliberate neglect. Ministers routinely abandon Thursday sittings, the day reserved for answering questions, as if oversight is optional. The same ministers then return at the end of the year with thick piles of Bills, demanding that they be passed at lightning speed without proper debate. That is not governance; that is legislative manipulation. One day, I watched live as a minister fumbled through an answer that had clearly not been prepared — a mockery of accountability. Is that the Parliament Namibians voted for?

The refusal to extend Parliament’s working hours is indefensible. It exposes the Swapo government’s lack of seriousness about governance and its growing contempt for democratic accountability. It reveals a fear of scrutiny — a fear of being questioned, challenged, or exposed. A government that fears questions is a government that has lost its moral right to lead. Blocking motions that aim to improve Parliament’s efficiency is not just short-sighted — it is a betrayal of the people’s trust. It is a confession that the ruling party prefers a silent Parliament over an active one.

If the current Parliament is serious about serving the Namibian people, it must consider extending its sitting hours and days — from Monday to Friday, 14:30 to 18:00. This would ensure that every question, every motion, and every Bill receives the attention it deserves. It would force ministers to prioritize their legislative duties and end the culture of absenteeism. It would restore dignity to a House that has become too predictable and too submissive. And most importantly, it would send a message that Parliament still belongs to the people, not to party leaders.

Namibians are watching. They see a Parliament that talks of accountability, but runs away from work. They see a ruling party that blocks progress and calls it procedure. They see a legislature that sits for convenience, not conviction. This cannot continue.  Parliament must rise from this shame. It must stop hiding behind tradition and start doing the job it was elected to do. The country’s business is piling up, and time is running out. Let Parliament sit until the work of the people is done. Anything less is betrayal.

*Hidipo Hamata is a former member of the 7th Parliament. The views expressed are his own.