By Kaleb Nghishidivali

OTJIWARONGO, 10 August- The Namibia Nurses Union (NANU) has issued a stern rebuke, denouncing the government’s neglect and exploitation of healthcare workers. The union warns that the country’s healthcare system is teetering on the verge of collapse.

During a press briefing in Otjiwarongo, NANU Secretary General Junias Shilunga delivered a forceful statement expressing deep disappointment and alarm regarding the state of healthcare in Namibia. Shilunga highlighted that nurses, who serve as the cornerstone of an effective health system, are being exploited and forced to bear the weight of a deteriorating healthcare infrastructure.

The statement unequivocally declared, “Nurses have become sacrificial lambs for a dysfunctional and degenerating system,” shedding light on a series of grave concerns that, if unaddressed, could endanger the lives of Namibia’s population.

Of particular concern, Shilunga emphasized the union’s longstanding critique of the government’s failure to provide nurses with uniforms over the past decade. NANU contends that this neglect has not only created financial strain for nurses but has also eroded the professional identity of nursing.

In response to these pressing issues, the union has presented a set of urgent demands to the government. Among them, NANU calls for the payment of all overtime hours worked in accordance with Namibia’s Labour Act. The union also encourages nurses to reject additional working hours if the government continues to issue alleged illegal directives.

Furthermore, NANU insists that nurses assigned to clinics should not be required to work on weekends and after regular hours unless the clinic has been officially designated as a Health Centre. The union implores the government to expedite the recruitment of additional nurses into healthcare facilities and underscored the necessity of providing uniforms to nurses.

Additionally, NANU is urging the Ministry of Labour, responsible for safeguarding employee rights, to intervene.

“We call upon the government to provide us with a response on their plans to resolve these raised issues by 31 August 2023,” Shilunga asserted, cautioning that inadequate responses could lead to unspecified actions.

In response, Ben Nangombe, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, defended the Ministry’s stance, explaining that they are striving to manage resources and provide services within legal parameters. Nangombe emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to maintaining quality healthcare facilities.

Addressing the potential for union actions, Nangombe stated that he would operate within the framework of labor law and pointed to a tripartite platform where labor unions, worker unions, and the government collaborate to resolve issues.- Namibia Daily News

By Kaleb Nghishidivali

Swakopmund, 10 August-The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, Security, Constitutional and Legal Affairs (HASCLA) has announced the upcoming promulgation of the Witness Protection Act No. 11 of 2017 and the Whistle Blower Protection Act No. 10 of 2017, after years of delay.

The announcement was made during an oversight engagement with selected Organizations, Ministries, and Agencies (OMAs) in Swakopmund, Erongo Region. The Committee had been probing the delay of these vital pieces of legislation with Gladice Pickering, the Executive Director (ED) in the Ministry of Justice.

The ED informed the Committee that N$50 Million had been allocated for the operationalization of the two Acts for the 2023/2024 financial year, with priority given to the Witness Protection Act. The Act, highly anticipated since its passage in 2017, is now expected to be promulgated as early as September 2023.

Explaining the delay, Pickering highlighted challenges such as the need to establish intelligence infrastructure, negotiate agreements with member states, and set up a safe house network before the Acts could be operationalized. She also mentioned the centralization of power in the Director of the Unit’s hands as a potential issue in the Witness Protection Act, which would be addressed when finalizing the regulations.

Turning to the Whistle Blower Protection Act, Pickering noted that certain modalities were being rectified, as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) already has a similar mandate. The Act may be amended to delegate the responsibility back to ACC and is expected to be enacted in the 2024/2025 financial year.

The Committee also raised concerns about delays in the tabling of the High Court Amendment Bill and the Magistrate’s Court Amendment Bill of 2021. Pickering attributed these delays to a shortage of experienced legal drafters, with only four out of 19 legal drafters in the Ministry of Justice currently capable of drafting legislation without supervision.

The Committee’s engagements extended to other OMAs in the constitutional and legal affairs fraternity, discussing staffing issues, case backlogs, and overcrowding of holding cells, among other issues.

During the discussions, the Chairperson of the Standing Committee, John Likando, highlighted urban poverty, house repossessions by commercial banks, and exploitation of the country’s resources as urgent issues requiring attention. Ombudsman, Advocate Basilius Dyakugha, concurred, emphasizing that citizens should benefit from the country’s natural resources to address poverty.

The Committee’s oversight activities, which included observing court proceedings at the Erongo Regional Court and inspecting the Namibia Ports Authority (Namport), aim to strengthen its overall oversight function. ~Namibia Daily News

By Elezo Libanda

Katima Mulilo, 10 August – Martin Lukato, President of the NDP party, has decried the meager N$3000 budget allocation to Gibeon village, labeling it as heartless. In a recent Facebook post, Lukato criticized the government’s purported lack of seriousness in addressing issues like unemployment and poor living standards. He asserted that residents of Gibeon are seemingly being penalized due to their political affiliations.

Lukato vehemently condemned the decision made by the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development. His reaction was prompted by a surge of discussions on social media, where many questioned the rationale behind the allocation. Some even went so far as to describe the allocation as a joke and a mockery of the entire Namibian nation.

In defense of its decision, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development stated that allocations are not determined by political affiliations, but rather by past performance. The ministry explained that the allocation was based on prior experiences, as Gibeon village council had reportedly struggled to effectively utilize previously allocated funds.

Despite assertions from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development that fund allocations are needs-based, the perception persists that the N$3000 allocation falls woefully short in terms of effectively developing a village council. The Gibeon village council, which falls under the Landless People’s Movement, has raised concerns that the allocation might be a form of political punishment for their particular political preferences. -Namibia Daily News