Albertina Nakale
Windhoek-Namibia’s ambassador to the USA, Martin Andjaba, is set to take up a Swapo parliamentary seat in the National Assembly.
The veteran diplomat would replace Paula Kooper from President Hage Geingob’s list of parliamentary nominees.
Kooper now becomes an MP on her own merit, having moved into the National Assembly after the recent resignation of Alpheus Muheua, who was until recently the deputy minister of labour.
He suffered stroke and has since been unable to continue working.
“The vacancy left by Honourable Paula Kooper will soon be filled by Mr Martin Andjaba,” Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi confirmed to New Era yesterday without giving a timeframe.
Kooper moved into the National Assembly in August last year President Hage Geingob fired then deputy minister of lands Bernadus Swartbooi, who was eventually recalled from parliament.
With Swartbooi gone, Jerry Ekandjo, who was also a nominee on Geingob’s nominee list, requested to change his status from presidential nominee to elected MP with voting rights.
It is believed that after Muheua resigned, Kooper, who was next in line, requested to change her status from presidential nominee to elected MP with voting rights.
This created a vacancy of Geingob’s nominee list, culminating in the appointment of Andjaba.
Yesterday, presidential affairs minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko resigned from Cabinet due to ailing health, but it was not clear if he would vacate parliament too, which would create another vacancy. Businesswoman Martha Namundjebo-Tilahun would be eligible to join the National Assembly should a vacancy exist.
Katjavivi also said the Swapo party has nominated Elifas Dingara in terms of Article 48 (1) (c) to replace newly appointed Vice-President Nangolo Mbumba in parliament. Mbumba was an MP while he was the ruling party’s secretary-general.
Former Urban and Rural Development Minister Sophia Shaningwa has since taken over the post of Swapo secretary-general, following her victory at the Swapo elective congress of last year.
Katjavivi also said that President Hage Geingob has appointed Swapo Party Women’s Council (SPWC) secretary Eunice Ipinge, in terms of Article 32 (5), in place of Petrina Haingura whom Geingob recently recalled from the National Assembly.
Dingara and Ipinge were sworn in the National Assembly yesterday afternoon.