Windhoek
The construction of a new state-of-the-art N$2,2 billion parliament building will not be done at the expense of poverty alleviation projects and does not mean politicians are not sensitive to the dire and pressing socio-economic issues facing Namibians.
The envisaged project has since its announcement become a hot potato, even more now with a looming mass demonstration by young people under the banner of the Affirmative Repositioning movement in a bid to have the construction stopped.
Many took to social media and other online platforms to condemn the project, adding that the money should rather be used for servicing residential land for landless Namibians, to create employment opportunities and to improve the living conditions of the destitute, who live in shacks.
However, during an exclusive interview with New Era on the subject this week, National Assembly Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi shed more light on the project,
saying the legislature is not turning a blind eye to the needs of the people.
“The argument that the construction of the new parliament building implies that members of parliament are not sensitive to poverty-related issues is misdirected and not a reasonable perception of the representative nature of parliament,” Katjavivi opined.
“Therefore, the misconception circulating on social media, that the construction of the new parliament building will be done at the expense of other national priority projects, like the construction of hospitals and schools, is totally wrong and devoid of any truth,” the Speaker further explained.
“Government has a list of national priority projects that are budgeted for under capital projects and these should not be mixed up with the need for the construction of the new parliament building, which is a national priority project in its own right. Let me remind you that there is a likelihood of an escalation of costs should the project be delayed,” he added.
Responding to the widespread negative public sentiment surrounding the project, he said parliaments the world over, by virtue of their representative function and as custodians of democracy, are always open to public dialogue and lobbying on key national matters.
Katjavivi believes the issue of the new parliament building to house the Namibian legislature is no exception. According to him, parliament as the institution mandated by the electorate to represent their views and interests has structures in place to facilitate that interaction, such as the right to petition or lobby members of parliament.
“Therefore, we continually encourage the Namibian people to always engage parliament on matters affecting them,” he further said.
“In view of the sentiments expressed by the public, it should be noted that their views will be taken into consideration. For instance, we are in the process of evaluating the bill of quantities to ensure that only the necessary expenditures are kept, with a view to bringing the cost down.”