WINDHOEK - Speaker of the National Assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi on Tuesday postponed to next week Tuesday the first day of parliament after the august House reconvened.

Katjavivi postponed Tuesday’s sitting due to the lack of items on the parliamentary agenda. 
MPs who have been on recess since July 12 and were mostly dressed in black, symbolising the recent wave of gender-based violence (GBV) that has rocked the nation in recent weeks, briefly discussed issues of GBV and what could be done to solve the situation.

Contributing to the debate, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Loide Kasingo said she is in full support of President Hage Geingob who on Monday suggested in bringing in the army to assist the Namibian Police Force to help maintain law and order.

“I am one of those people who have travelled throughout the country to hear from the ground how the citizens feel about gender-based violence. Many of them are calling for the return of the death penalty but we know that we cannot call it back – however in the absence of the death penalty we must have something very serious,” she said, adding that other countries have serious consequences for perpetrators of gender-based violence and Namibia should learn from them.    
Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare, Doreen Sioka, also delivered a ministerial statement politely asking the killer or killers of Cheryl Ujaha to surrender themselves to the police.

She asked the public to come forward with information that can lead to the arrest of the killer or killers of Ujaha.
“Fellow members, the people who commit these crimes are our brothers, sisters, uncles, fathers, mothers, aunts, and children but still we are quiet, but put yourself in other’s shoes and come forward with information which can lead to the arrest of the perpetrators,” said Sioka.

Once it resumes next week, the Combating of Rape Amendment Bill, Obsolete Laws Bill, National Symbols Bill, Criminal Procedures Act Repeal Bill, Administration of Estates Amendment Bill, Electronic Transaction Bill, Public Enterprise Bill, Transfer Duties Bill, Plant Breeders Bill, Arms and Ammunition Bill, Financial Services Adjudicator Bill, Deposit Guarantee Bill ,Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority Bill and the Financial Institutions and Markets Bill are all expected to be tabled in the house.

 During their last sitting the House passed the Nursing Amendment Bill, Medical and Dental Amendment Bill, Social Work and Psychology Amendment Bill and the Pharmacy Amendment Bill.