Youth stir up Parliament
Namibia is witnessing a generational change in Parliament where the youth are unafraid to speak their truth while party elders are still stuck in the ‘children must be seen, not heard’ mentality.
No one saw it coming when Swapo member of parliament Patience Masua early this year broke ranks with her fellow party member and minister of education Anna Nghipondoka, demanding that she apologise for the dilapidated state of Otjerunda Combined School in the Kunene Region.
A few weeks ago, another young MP, Inna Hengari of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), did not mince her words when she confronted her party elder Elma Dienda for saying marital rape does not exist.
According to political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah, this new phenomenon is because unlike the old guard, the youth are not so deeply rooted in party history and political cultures.
“Their loyalties are issues they care about, not parties or party elders. And they are fresh from universities, equipped with new information and knowledge, where the culture of debate and critical engagement of ideas thrive openly.
“The other issue here is that they were activists before they came to Parliament; therefore, their take on some of the issues in the chamber is defined and influenced by their prior activism,” he said.
He added that the emergence of this new generation of politics is because the youth have more energy and take their role as young politicians seriously, keeping their constituencies - which are other young people - in mind.
They are not children
Local political analyst Linda Baumann said while these young MPs’ interactions were refreshing to see in what has always been a male and elders forum, a concern is that the youth are still not regarded as competent individuals.
There is need for the president and other decision-makers to be genuine and not only pay lip service when they say they believe in the youth, she said.
“I would like to see a young person appointed as a minister and be given that responsibility to influence policy and drive development. We all know deputy ministers don’t have real influence. We are seeing that the voices of the youth are not recognised as that of competent people when they make contributions in Parliament.
“The biggest question is: Does the old guard understand that they are all equals in Parliament?” she asked.
Baumann added that the dissent of youth voices is perhaps why so many young people end up demoralised and captured by the system.
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No one saw it coming when Swapo member of parliament Patience Masua early this year broke ranks with her fellow party member and minister of education Anna Nghipondoka, demanding that she apologise for the dilapidated state of Otjerunda Combined School in the Kunene Region.
A few weeks ago, another young MP, Inna Hengari of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), did not mince her words when she confronted her party elder Elma Dienda for saying marital rape does not exist.
According to political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah, this new phenomenon is because unlike the old guard, the youth are not so deeply rooted in party history and political cultures.
“Their loyalties are issues they care about, not parties or party elders. And they are fresh from universities, equipped with new information and knowledge, where the culture of debate and critical engagement of ideas thrive openly.
“The other issue here is that they were activists before they came to Parliament; therefore, their take on some of the issues in the chamber is defined and influenced by their prior activism,” he said.
He added that the emergence of this new generation of politics is because the youth have more energy and take their role as young politicians seriously, keeping their constituencies - which are other young people - in mind.
They are not children
Local political analyst Linda Baumann said while these young MPs’ interactions were refreshing to see in what has always been a male and elders forum, a concern is that the youth are still not regarded as competent individuals.
There is need for the president and other decision-makers to be genuine and not only pay lip service when they say they believe in the youth, she said.
“I would like to see a young person appointed as a minister and be given that responsibility to influence policy and drive development. We all know deputy ministers don’t have real influence. We are seeing that the voices of the youth are not recognised as that of competent people when they make contributions in Parliament.
“The biggest question is: Does the old guard understand that they are all equals in Parliament?” she asked.
Baumann added that the dissent of youth voices is perhaps why so many young people end up demoralised and captured by the system.
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