George Sanzila

The 30th anniversary of the adoption of Namibia’s constitution was marked on the 9 February under the theme ‘The Namibian Constitution – Thirty years on: A Reflection’. 

Speaking at an event, organised by the Office of the Ombudsman to commemorate the historic moment in Namibia’s history, speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi hailed Namibia’s supreme law, noting it was inclusive and progressive. “Our constitution is respected and appreciated at home and abroad as one of the most forward-looking constitutions in the world. It protects the dignity and fundamental rights of all persons, including the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in peace and unity,” said Katjavivi.

Katjavivi formed part of the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly that represented political parties who had just participated in the first free and fair elections held in November 1989, tasked to write Namibia’s constitution. Namibia’s current president Hage Geingob was chairman of the committee. The constitution came into force on 21 March 1990 when Namibia became independent.

The speaker noted that as part of the commemorations, the National Assembly in partnership with Gondwana Collection, a locally based Namibian organisation, invited some of the surviving members of the constitution drafting committee to look back at the drafting and interrogate its progress. The surviving members who sat in the constitution room at the National Assembly where the document was drafted included Dirk Mudge, Nahas Angula, Hartmut Ruppel, Ngarikutuke Tjiriange, Pendukeni Iivula Ithana, Mburumba Kerina, Andrew Matjila, Dirk Mudge, Vekuii Rukoro, Willem Biwa and Ben Amathila.  

Katjavivi reiterated that the constitution called for the separation of powers among the three distinct organs of the state to provide for checks and balances. He urged Namibian citizens to empower themselves to be able to contribute to the country’s socio-economic development.