Windhoek
A parliamentary standing committee on constitutional and legal affairs is set to engage the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement over the land rights group’s petition demanding that plans to construct a N$2 billion parliament building be shelved.
AR member Job Amupanda said that after submitting their petition on June 16 to Speaker of the National Assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi, the then acting secretary Findley Harker wrote to them stating the petition was forwarded to the standing committee on constitutional and legal affairs.
“Then after some time, the standing committee wrote to us and said they deliberated on the matter and will invite us for discussion when parliament resumes in September,” said Amupanda.
Amupanda said they would enquire to find out what happened as AR members also want to have an audience with Katjavivi.
The recently-appointed secretary to the National Assembly Lydia Kandetu could not be reached on her mobile phone as it rang unanswered.
In June over 3 500 people participated in a mass protest against the construction of a new parliament building and gave government one month to respond to their petition.
During the protest a statement read by AR activist Jennilee Kohima stated they have recognized areas of priority which need to be urgently addressed before the nation can entertain discussions to provide comfort to a handful of elected office-bearers who have a mandate of “the people first, our wants later”.
The servicing of urban land and housing delivery, together with education, improved health care for all, drought and water shortages are the country’s priority areas needing attention, stated Kohima.