The official opening of the third session of the eighth Parliament by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah signals more than the start of a new legislative calendar. It represents a moment of reckoning for Namibia’s Legislature, a chance to reset, to refocus, and to recommit itself to the serious business of governance. The President’s address was firm but measured, and its underlying message was unmistakable: Namibians are watching Parliament closely, and they expect results, not spectacle.
Her call for members of Parliament to strengthen their role in advancing inclusive development and participatory democracy was timely. Across the country, citizens are grappling with unemployment, rising living costs, inequality, and a sense that politics often feels disconnected from everyday realities. In this context, Parliament cannot afford to be perceived as distracted, indulgent, or unserious. It must be seen to work and to work for the people.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah placed particular emphasis on the quality of parliamentary debate, urging Members to engage robustly, respectfully, and purposefully. This was not a casual remark. It was an implicit acknowledgement of past failures and a warning against their repetition. While the official opening itself was conducted with dignity, the nation still remembers the unfortunate scenes that unfolded last year during an ordinary sitting of Parliament, when theatrics, disruption, and confrontation took centre stage.
Those incidents, which culminated in some members being forcibly removed from the chamber, did lasting damage to the image of Parliament. They reduced a vital democratic institution to a stage for drama and spectacle, diverting attention away from legislation and oversight. As this new session begins, those events should serve as a cautionary reminder of how easily substance can be eclipsed by performance and how costly that can be for public trust.
The President reaffirmed Parliament’s constitutional mandate to pass strong, forward-looking laws that protect Namibia’s sovereignty, uphold the rule of law, and respond to the needs of citizens. These responsibilities demand focus and discipline. They require lawmakers to engage deeply with policy, to listen to expert input, and to put national interest above partisan gain.
She also highlighted key national priorities that require urgent legislative attention: job creation, youth participation in the economy, local beneficiation of natural resources, agriculture, manufacturing, and the digital economy. These are not abstract policy buzzwords. They are areas where Parliament’s decisions, or indecision, will shape livelihoods, opportunities, and Namibia’s long-term economic trajectory.
Youth unemployment, in particular, remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges. For young Namibians watching parliamentary proceedings, the question is simple: does Parliament understand the urgency of their situation? Endless procedural disputes and political grandstanding send the wrong message. Laws that unlock opportunity, support entrepreneurship, and enable inclusive growth send the right one.
Equally central to the President’s address was the issue of accountability, transparency, and the fight against corruption. Restoring public trust requires more than statements of intent. It requires consistent oversight, principled legislation, and the courage to confront wrongdoing wherever it occurs. Parliament has a critical role to play here, but that role is undermined when oversight is selective or when accountability becomes entangled in party loyalties.
Last year’s events illustrated the ease with which legitimate opposition can devolve into obstructionism. A vibrant opposition is essential in a democracy, but it must be grounded in ideas, argument, and persistence, not disruption for its own sake. Parliament is not a protest rally, nor is it a platform for viral moments. It is a constitutional institution entrusted with shaping the nation’s future.
Adding to the complexity of this new session is the recent directive requiring the President to approve the leave of the Speaker of the National Assembly. This development raises serious and legitimate questions about the separation of powers and the independence of the Legislature. In a constitutional democracy, such questions cannot be ignored or glossed over.
Parliament itself is the proper forum to debate and clarify this issue. If constitutional boundaries appear blurred, they must be examined openly, calmly, and rigorously. Transparency, not silence, strengthens institutions. Avoiding the matter would only fuel public suspicion and further erode confidence in democratic governance.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s call for members to rise above partisanship speaks directly to this moment. Political differences are inevitable and healthy, but they must not paralyse Parliament or reduce it to perpetual conflict. National interest must, at times, take precedence over party advantage. Cooperation, when guided by principle, is not weakness; it is leadership.
As the third session of the eighth Parliament unfolds, members face a defining choice. They can allow past patterns of disruption and drama to re-emerge, turning Parliament once again into a theatre of confrontation. Or they can learn from those missteps and commit to a session defined by seriousness, discipline, and delivery.
The Windhoek Observer believes this Parliament stands at a crossroads. The memory of last year’s disorder should serve as a warning. The President’s address offers a clear roadmap: focus on substance, respect the institution, pass laws that matter, and hold power accountable. Namibia does not need another season of political theatre. It needs a Parliament that works quietly, diligently, and effectively in the service of its people.
