Last week during a Parliament session, a member of an opposition party took to the floor to lament the exclusion of the springbok on one of the national notes. While some may have found it hilarious, the episode posed a sobering question regarding the (possibly deteriorating) quality of debate in the August House.
The National Assembly is the legislative arm of government, and it is meant to dissect and pass laws with scrutiny of government actions and policies. It is supposed to be a house that seeks solutions for the challenges that we face as a nation. One therefore wonders how a question of the presence (or absence) of the springbok made it to the floor of parliament in a nation that is battling poverty, gender-based violence, unemployment and a rising cost of living.
A common argument during election season is that the National Assembly requires more voices to carry the burdens of Namibians. Although that argument holds weight and representation is vital, it can lose its meaning when it is reduced to mere visibility rather than responsibility. When MPs, regardless of party affiliation, use their seat to pursue trivialities, they fail not only their voters but the principle of democracy itself. If representatives are to be the voices of reason and accountability, then they must rise above theatrics. The National Assembly is not a circus.
What does proper representation look like in this context? It should, first of all, be backed up by research so that it is responsive to the needs of those who are represented.
Proper representation should, first of all, be grounded in research and informed debate. It must be rooted in the lived realities of those who voted you to Parliament. The people in informal settlements who have no toilets. The single mothers whose wages barely last two weeks. The graduates whose degrees gather dust. These are the citizens whose voices should echo through the microphones of Parliament. Anything else is a betrayal of mandate.
Opposition politics, in Namibia and Africa by extension, ought to mature beyond merely opposing and start to be more substantial, visionary and better prepared. Holding government accountable through that role is an immense responsibility which must be taken care of.
We cannot afford a Parliament where the nation tunes in hoping for answers, only to find entertainment. The public gallery should not resemble an audience waiting for punchlines. It should be a space where citizens can witness rigorous debate and have their hope restored in the governance of their nation. It ought to be a place where statistics are met with strategies for turnaround. The moment debate becomes a competition for social media virality, we risk eroding trust in the very institution that anchors our democracy, and that is a dangerous juncture to be in.
Namibia’s challenges are complex. The global economy is shifting, climate shocks are worsening, inequality persists, and our youth are losing faith in democratic institutions altogether. If the August House cannot rise to meet these challenges, where else should citizens turn?
Let it be clear: this is not an argument against freedom of speech or against the opposition. In fact, robust debate, even spirited disagreement, is healthy and encouraged. What is not healthy is the normalisation of mediocrity. The moment MPs start prioritising visibility over value, politics loses its purpose.
It is time we, as citizens, also raise our expectations. Democracy is participatory, and accountability does not end at the ballot box. When we laugh off unserious debates, we signal to our leaders that we do not mind. When we excuse triviality, we reward it. But when we demand better and insist that every minute in Parliament be spent improving the lives of Namibians, we raise the bar.
The National Assembly is a sacred space in our constitutional democracy. It deserves the dignity of seriousness, the rigour of intellect and the honesty of intent. Let it be a house where arguments are backed by data, where questions are anchored in relevance and where every contribution adds to the nation’s progress.
Namibia does not need a parliament of comedians. It needs a parliament of thinkers, reformers, and problem-solvers. The circus has enough tents elsewhere.
