By Jeremiah Ndjoze

With less than a month to go before the swearing in of Namibia’s 8th Parliament, the newbies in the country’s legislature are already honing their skills and speaking big, amid the excitement of their new jobs. 

Namibians are made to believe that with the introduction of youthful members the swearing in of the next Parliament is set to rebuff claims, from some quarters, that the country is run by ‘old people.’ 

But whether or not these young ones will become a breath of fresh air in the establishment or further propel the stank remains everyones’ guess. 

Will they succumb to the pressure and become part of the furniture, or will they rise to the occasion and churn out new developmental policies for the welfare of the masses?

Fenny Tutjavi

Quick to react is Fenny Tutjavi, a student and youth activist who caught the eye of president elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and is now headed to the August house. 

“I am not afraid of pressure and my accolades speak to this, so when things hit the fan I’ll be ready to lead, and when, and if need be, to account,” Tutjavi told Confidente this week. Notwithstanding, there have been claims that the appointment of younger MPs is merely for cosmetic purposes and that the appointees leave the house without having had an impact. Tutjavi disagrees.

“I believe that the criticism for Young Parliamentarians is really rooted in the unique interest

conceptualization from the Namibian young people. The contributions and efforts of current

Young MP’s may speak to a certain category of youth while others may feel excluded,” she said.

“One can never address everyone’s concerns, needs and desires. But I wish to pledge my commitment of servant hood to the Namibian youth and people,” she added. 

Tutjavi maintained that going to Parliament will not render her inaccessible to her constituency, which is the young people of Namibia as she operates on an open door policy which has been effective and strong in creating accessibility. 

“When my people cannot access me I will ensure to meet them where they are, I am not to be confined and limited,” she said. 

She maintained that one of her agendas will be a well detailed interrogation into the various categories of Youth broadly, and then narrowing it to their challenges. Which subsequently will result in a Youth Action Plan or Policy Framework. 

“So I am urging Namibia not to be quick to prepare for criticism but to see how we got together our various expertise to harness them into action to solve our challenges, we are a gifted country. So I again invite Namibia to hold my hand as we navigate, let us impact together, let us fail together and learn together. Let us build together

Austin Samupwa

Having started his political career as a student activist through NANSO, at Sangwali Secondary School, Swapo MP elect Austin Machana Samupwa is of the opinion that the inclusion of young people in key positions, by Swapo, is not a new trend, but one that has been practiced for years.

“[The youth] has always been an integral part of Parliament since independence. Maybe we can argue that the number of young people has steadily risen in the coming parliament. In fact, not all are young in the strictest sense of being ‘Youth,’ but we can rather say, in comparison to previous Parliaments, the incoming one is more  ‘Youthful,’ Samupwa said.  

“It is a good development, but I advocate for a combination of youthfulness and experience. What is paramount to me, is the delivery of goods and services to all Namibians. The youth should be in decision making bodies such as Parliament because the future being decided on there belongs to them,” he added. 

If anyone’s political life has gone full circle it will be Samupwa’s. Professedly, he went through all the ranks of the SWAPO Party from the Youth League, section, branch, district, regional to now becoming a member of the Central Committee. 

“I also had a stint at the SWAPO Party National Headquarters as the Founding Executive Director for 5 years prior to becoming a member of the Central Committee. The Party has now decided to send me to the National Assembly, which is a great honor and opportunity to serve all Namibians. My path to where I am destined to in a month’s time, was winding but rewarding,” Samupwa says. 

The incoming MP wants to see a clear policy on monitoring and evaluation of government programs. 

Says Samupwa; “A Unit must be created for this, and be independent from influence. This Unit would work hand in hand with the Governing Party to create a momentum on the implementation of the Manifesto.

He is further committed to finding common ground with members of other parties and working together to achieve shared goals where necessary. 

“Smart politics is what will propel our country forward. After all is said and done, we are all Namibians regardless of Party affiliation. Namibia must come first. So on matters of principle and the national interest, I see myself as one who can be instrumental in bridging our political divide,” he revealed. 

Evilastus Kaaronda

Former firebrand unionist turned politician, Evalistus Kaaronda is heading to parliament with the primary aim of ensuring economic freedom for all Namibians. 

As a serious intervention in the country's plight against unemployment, and one that his party will push in the parliament is the establishment of a Youth Employment Fund. 

“You cannot create jobs without money. Government has been making promises about job creation but never walked the talk. The only way to go about this is to invest money in the process,” he said, maintaining that some of these monies can come from the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Furthermore, Kaaronda is of the view that the benefits from Namibia’s national resources should be equitably distributed to yield material benefits to those living closest to their localities.  

“You can’t come from the south in //Kharas, for instance, where diamonds are mined and look like you come from a muddy, pre-capitalist society somewhere,” Kaaronda told media reports in the run up to the elections. 

At the helm of Namibia's oldest political party, Kaaronda admitted that youth involvement has been an issue that the party struggled with for quite a while. 

“But we have rolled that back. We have within our leadership now many young people,” Kaaronda said, further strengthening the need for youths' involvement in politics. 

The 1904 Genocide reparation saga is high on the Swanu’s agenda in parliament, in addition to bread and butter issues affecting the Namibian workforce. 

“Workers must, by law, be allowed to own shares in the companies for which they work as a way of redistributing wealth to the greater majority of our people. Otherwise, wealth will be concentrated in a few hands,” Kaaronda said. 

Lukato Lukato - NDP

Born on 2nd December 1960 veteran politician Martin Lukato Lukato’s ascendance to the legislature should not be taken lightly. 

Admittedly, for the former police officer, this has been a lifelong dream. One which he says was not birthed out of the need for political expediency, but genuine love for Namibia and its people.  

Lukato’s party, the Namibia Democratic Party was duly registered on 22 October 2004, and since then Lukato-Lukato has been pounding pavements on foot, mobilising the party’s agenda, while seeking to get on a platform where his voice will be heard. He is now taking his message to Parliament. 

Lukato is all for young people being included in mainstream politics and serving as parliamentarians, but stresses that they should be willing to learn from the old guard. 

The senior politician maintained that once in parliament he will push for the proclamation of more Namibian towns into cities ‘as this will contribute to job creation in places other than Windhoek and thereby lessening the pressure on the current city.’

“Also, I will see to it that a free education policy is implemented from lower primary school level to tertiary. Many school dropouts today are a result of there being no money to cater for school fees and other related needs,” Lukato said. 

Gautentia Krohne

Having entered the political world during the prime years of Namibia’s student movement, with thoughts of the sting of teargas still fresh in her mind, Gauntentia Krohne is definitely one to embrace youth inclusion at the frontline in the local legislature.

She does not mince her words when she stresses that young people represent the future of Namibia, and their inclusion in Parliament brings fresh perspectives, innovative solutions, and energy to governance. 

“Many national policies directly impact the youth, including those related to education, employment, and economic development. Their presence in Parliament ensures that these issues receive adequate attention and that decisions reflect the aspirations of future generations,” Krohne told Confidente this week. 

The Windhoek born and Tses bred Krohne is adamant that while [Swapo] party structures may still be dominated by senior members, young Parliamentarians can be highly influential if they actively engage in policy discussions, build alliances, and advocate for youth-centered policies.

“Through collaboration, strategic lobbying, and persistence, young leaders can successfully push forward legislation that addresses their generation’s challenges. The key is to ensure that their contributions are practical, evidence-based, and aligned with national development goals,” Krohne said. 

She revealed that once in parliament she plans to engage with her constituents through; regular town hall meetings to listen to their concerns and provide updates on her work

in Parliament, via social media engagements to reach a broader audience, particularly young people, in addition to community visits to understand her constituents’ needs first-hand and advocate for practical solutions.

“A dedicated office where constituents can submit their concerns, ensuring accessibility

and transparency [will be established],” she added. 

Sharonice Busch

After serving as the chairperson of the Children’s Parliament and later occupying other key roles in Namibia such as being the Secretary General of NANSO, a member of the Commonwealth Youth Council and eventually as Executive Director of the National Youth Council of Namibia, Sharonice Busch has come of age and is now headed for National Assembly. 

But Busch is seemingly not one to shy away from the big leagues citing that leadership is innate and is quick to comment on the government on youth inclusion in parliament.

“We are doing well as a country as far as youth representation is concerned and in opening up spaces for the youth to occupy,” Busch said. 

She stressed the importance of political systems to be representative and for all of society to be included 

“When we look at Namibia’s demography it is important to recognise that when young people are disenfranchised or disregarded from political processes a significant portion of the population will have little to no voice in decisions that affect them,” Busch stressed.   

She does not agree with the notion that young people are ushered into parliament for cosmetic purposes and maintains that many have paid their dues to be there.

“I do believe that there are different lenses with regards to how you view certain groups within our society and as young leaders we have taken time to capacitate ourselves, to gain experience through our organic growth in leadership,” Busch said. 

Most importantly, what qualifies us to speak on behalf of our constituents is that we share the realities of those that we represent,” she added.

Newbies

While the matter between the Electoral Commission of Namibia and opposition parties is still before the courts, Namibians are tentatively allowed to believe that there will be an influx of new blood in parliament, regardless of the courts’ sway. 

Following the last National Assembly elections, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) secured 20 seats all of which could be occupied by new faces. Having had its seats slashed from 12 to 5, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) will see the introduction of one new face in the form of former Opuwo mayor, Rosa Mbinge Tjeundo. Also on 5 seats, the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Eneas Emvula and Aina Hangeni Kodi as its newbies to parliament, while Affirmative Repositioning’s Job Amupanda will have his parliamentary debut accompanied by George Kambala, Maitjituavi Kavetu, Illse Keister, Ester Sakaria and Tuhafeni Hangula. Another surprise addition to the National Assembly this season is the Body of Christ president, Festus Thomas.

Other Parliamentary newbies in Swapo include broadcaster diplomat Charles Mubita, as well as Marlayn Mbakera and Marius Sheya. Also joining the NA from Swapo are Indileni Daniel, Ruth Masake, Linda Mbwale, Dino Balotti and former youth league leader Elijah Ngurare all of whom were nominated by Nandi-Ndaitwah.