Kawana out of line, says RDP

President Hage Geingob has been urged to strongly reconsider the appointment of Justice Minister Albert Kawana, who was earlier this week reported to have referred to opposition parties as “mosquitoes and frogs”. This is according to Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) spokesperson Nghiningiluandubo Kashume, who said Kawana was abusing his power. Kawana was quoted as saying that opposition parties are like “mosquitoes and frogs that appear only when it rains and disappear immediately the rainy season ends”. “Kawana must be reminded that opposition parties consist of human beings made in the image of God like any other human being,” Kashume said. Kashume said the statement made by Kawana during his launch of the Swapo Party’s regional and local authority election campaign in Omusati was similar to those made in Rwanda, which instigated people and resulted in the 1994 genocide in which hundreds of thousands were killed. He further said the Namibian people, and in particular the RDP, expect Kawana to seriously commit himself to working out the best strategies in order to improve the justice system. “As minister of justice, he must realise that he is violating the Namibian Constitution which he is supposed to protect, defend and uphold,” Kashume said. He said it is on this basis that the RDP wants President Geingob to reconsider Kawana’s appointment, because the minister has not done justice to that position. He further said opposition parties were formed according to the provisions of the Namibian Constitution, which allows Namibian citizens to form and to join a political party of their choice. KENYA KAMBOWE