cover image: PERSPECTIVES - ON PARLIAMENT - Non-compliance and lax enforcement

20.500.12592/k4czn4

PERSPECTIVES - ON PARLIAMENT - Non-compliance and lax enforcement

27 Apr 2022

National Assembly must have submitted a dec- laration of their assets and interests to the When the Democracy Report team requested to see the 2021/22 dec- larations of assets and interests of members of the National Assembly Secretary of the National Assembly. [...] stitution, in November 2002 the National Assembly adopted a ‘Code of This brought into question the commitment to transparency and re- Conduct and Disclosure of Interests for Members of the National As- sponsiveness to the public of the NA, as so often touted in speeches by sembly’. [...] On 31 January 2022, the Democracy Report team emailed The Code of Conduct states clearly in section 9(1): “All Members of the following questions to the Secretary of the National As- Parliament upon being sworn in as members, must disclose their inter- sembly, Lydia Kandetu: est as contained in this code by signing the prescribed declaration and are obliged to adopt the principles of the code.” 1. [...] sure as may be considered to be appropriate in regard to the financial However, over the next decade or so and for most of the last 20 years, or business affairs of its members.” non-compliance and disregard has characterised the approach of The Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament Act (Act 17 of many or most MPs to the Code and the declaration of assets and inter- 1996) in section 222. [...] On the first day of the two-day meeting, the Representatives of the various CSOs also received a guided tour of Secretary of the National Council remarked that parliament could not the National Assembly and National Council during the two-day event.
Pages
4
Published in
Namibia