Today, the 7th Parliament goes into overdrive as legislators roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty to finalise outstanding Bills and key legislative matters.

Tomorrow is reserved for President Nangolo Mbumba’s valedictory address to the outgoing Members of Parliament (MPs), paving the way for the new crop of lawmakers who will be sworn in. 

Chief among the matters to be decided are two Bills and 17 other items on the order paper.

Among them is the future of the autonomy of the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF).

Lawmakers are under pressure, as it is now or never. 

All pending items in the National Assembly (NA) are expected to be concluded today, as newly-elected MPs will be sworn in on Thursday.

Yesterday, the National Council (NC) held a special session, which will stretch to today, to deliberate on urgent Bills such as the NSFAF Amendment Bill and the Roads Bill.

“In the national interest, if possible, we must decide how to relate to those Bills and decide how to deal with them,” said NC chairperson Lucas Muha.

He stated that the Roads Bill was scheduled to be discussed in the next ordinary session.

 However, due to pressing time and the closure of the 7th Parliament, it had to be introduced yesterday.

This month, higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi proposed structural reforms of the NSFAF, which seek to reintegrate the entity into the ministry to restore oversight and improve service delivery.

Motivating the NSFAF Amendment Bill in the NA yesterday, she outlined the evolution of the fund and the pressing need for structural reforms.

Initially operating within the education ministry, NSFAF was later granted independence in 2013, becoming a juristic entity. 

However, this shift came with both successes and challenges, including a bloated executive structure, recurring financial accountability issues, and an ever-growing number of eligible beneficiaries amidst budgetary constraints.

“The seed money that established the national bursary scheme in the education ministry, shortly after independence, was the repatriated scholarship funds dedicated then to the development of Namibian human capital in exile in preparation for an independent Namibia,” she stated.

Therefore, the proposed amendments to the NSFAF Act seek to abolish NSFAF’s juristic status, and re-establish it as a department within the higher education ministry.

It also seeks to ring-fence the Fund to ensure transparent and targeted financial management, restructure the NSFAF board into an advisory body chaired by the ministry’s executive director, develop a comprehensive student funding system with multiple financial support options, and create a centralised database to streamline financial assistance processes for students.

“As we deliberate on this amendment Bill, let us be futuristic and aim to consolidate a human resources’ instrument that is inclusive, transparent and accessible by all deserving Namibians,” Kandjii-Murangi urged lawmakers.

This Bill passed through the NA with no objection, and was referred to the NC for further scrutiny.

Yesterday, NA Speaker Peter Katjavivi said the legislative chambers have two Bills to consider and 17 items on the order paper to deliberate before the current session comes to an end.

“That will mean we have to work extra hours to wrap this up,” he noted.

– ashikololo@nepc.com.na