PDM woes impact parliament poster
JEMIMA BEUKES
WINDHOEK
The National Assembly has delayed the printing of the official poster of members of parliament following a High Court ruling that saw the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) eating humble pie.
PDM members Charmaine Tjirare and Hidipo Hamata successfully challenged their removal from the party's parliamentary list, which was gazetted just before last year's general election.
After the election, in which the PDM won 16 seats, the party removed six members from its gazetted list and replaced them with six new faces that were not gazetted, as is required by law.
Those who must be removed from the National Assembly after the court ruling are Esmeralda !Aebes, Johannes Martin, Kazeongere Tjeundo, Godfrey Mwilima, Timotheus Shihumbu and Pieter Mostert.
'Waste resources'
Namibian Sun has reliably learnt that the decision to delay the finalisation of the parliamentary poster was made not to “waste resources”, should a reprint be necessary.
“There is a court ruling with regards the PDM. We were actually at the final stage of the printing, in terms of who sits where. We have received the first draft and presented it to the speaker, but when the ruling came in, a decision was made to put the process on hold,” the source said. Director in the speaker's office, Simon /Uirab, however, denied this and said the process will continue as planned.
“It is not true; we only got that thing (poster) last week. There are certain protocols to adhere to before the poster is printed. I do not know about the court case,” he said.
Appeal
PDM parliamentary whip Vipua Muharukua said plans to appeal the High Court ruling are under way.
“We have greatly consulted the speaker's office and fully informed them of our intentions, being a responsible organisation. Who we did not consult is the Electoral Commission of Namibia, because of the number of things that are in the judgment,” he said.
Muharukua added that it makes sense for the National Assembly not to go ahead with the printing of the poster.
“We think and believe that eventually the Supreme Court will come to a correct and non-political decision and for that reason we believe the MPs currently in parliament will be the ones to be on the poster,” he added.
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WINDHOEK
The National Assembly has delayed the printing of the official poster of members of parliament following a High Court ruling that saw the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) eating humble pie.
PDM members Charmaine Tjirare and Hidipo Hamata successfully challenged their removal from the party's parliamentary list, which was gazetted just before last year's general election.
After the election, in which the PDM won 16 seats, the party removed six members from its gazetted list and replaced them with six new faces that were not gazetted, as is required by law.
Those who must be removed from the National Assembly after the court ruling are Esmeralda !Aebes, Johannes Martin, Kazeongere Tjeundo, Godfrey Mwilima, Timotheus Shihumbu and Pieter Mostert.
'Waste resources'
Namibian Sun has reliably learnt that the decision to delay the finalisation of the parliamentary poster was made not to “waste resources”, should a reprint be necessary.
“There is a court ruling with regards the PDM. We were actually at the final stage of the printing, in terms of who sits where. We have received the first draft and presented it to the speaker, but when the ruling came in, a decision was made to put the process on hold,” the source said. Director in the speaker's office, Simon /Uirab, however, denied this and said the process will continue as planned.
“It is not true; we only got that thing (poster) last week. There are certain protocols to adhere to before the poster is printed. I do not know about the court case,” he said.
Appeal
PDM parliamentary whip Vipua Muharukua said plans to appeal the High Court ruling are under way.
“We have greatly consulted the speaker's office and fully informed them of our intentions, being a responsible organisation. Who we did not consult is the Electoral Commission of Namibia, because of the number of things that are in the judgment,” he said.
Muharukua added that it makes sense for the National Assembly not to go ahead with the printing of the poster.
“We think and believe that eventually the Supreme Court will come to a correct and non-political decision and for that reason we believe the MPs currently in parliament will be the ones to be on the poster,” he added.
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