Windhoek

Yvonne Dausab, the new Chairperson of the Law Reform and Development Commission, is excited after being appointed to take over the reins at the law reform body and vowed to reform laws pertaining to socio-economic development.

“The Office of the President wishes Ms Dausab success in her new role as Chairperson of the LRDC and thanks her predecessor and current Attorney General, Hon. Sacky Shanghala for the excellent work he did during his tenure as Chairperson,” said the presidency yesterday when announcing the appointment.

Dausab (40) currently serves as the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Namibia (Unam).

During an exclusive interview with New Era yesterday, Dausab made it clear that as much as her attention would be focused on laws that impact socio-economic development, reforms can also be expected with disability laws.

“I am excited about the prospects of working directly in the law reform area. I am feeling quite a bit of pressure because of the tone and language of the President when he talks of development and improving the socio-economic conditions in the country,” she said.

Despite the pressure, Dausab said: “I welcome the pressure because I have worked in positions of leadership for quite some time and therefore I am looking forward to the challenge. I am not fearful that I might not succeed because I believe I am competent.”

Dausab will start at the commission on July 6.

Being a constitutional law lecturer at Unam, Dausab said she would continue lecturing on a part-time basis.

Asked whether she found it hard to decide whether she should accept or decline the President’s request, Dausab responded: “I was more concerned about the impact my departure will have on the law school, students and legal aid clinic of which I was a custodian for years … that was my dilemma.”

Dausab’s predecessor Sacky Shanghala had to vacate the seat after he was elected to serve as a member of parliament. He was appointed as the country’s attorney general.

Dausab’s colleague at Unam Professor Nico Horn described her appointment as a loss for the university but at the same time hailed it as a “smart appointment”.

“She has been with the faculty for more than six years and she is the only experienced Namibian female we have. She will be a great success because she is a bright academic and experienced,” said Horn.

She also serves as the supervising attorney responsible for the Legal Aid Clinic, and has worked in a professional environment for 16 years.

She was admitted as a legal practitioner of the High Court of Namibia in 2000 and possesses experience which includes human rights and civil litigation, training, advocacy, lobbying, public service and NGO development work.

According to the Law Reform and Development Commission Amendment Act No. 2, 2004, the chairperson of the commission shall not hold, or be engaged in, any other remunerative employment or occupation while serving on the commission.

The commission’s roles include conducting research on all branches of the law in Namibia and making recommendations on the reform and development of law.