The Minister of Justice, Yvonne Dausab, has introduced a new bill to introduce changes to the Judiciary Act of 2015.

The Bill aims to define the word "construction" and give the Chief Justice more responsibility in managing the building of court facilities.

Under the proposed changes, the Chief Justice, who is the leader of the judiciary, will be responsible for overseeing the capital projects for the Office of the Judiciary.

"The Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Judiciary have faced challenges in implementing Section 9 (1) of the Judiciary Act of 2015, which governs capital projects for the Office of the Judiciary," said Minister Dausab.

Currently, the Ministry of Justice is responsible for managing capital projects for the Office of Judiciary.

The Minister of Justice now wants an amendment to the current Act so that the Office of the Judiciary, and especially its accounting officer, has full control over planning, budgeting, and carrying out big projects like building new courthouses.

"The Bill retains the requirement for consultations between the Chief Justice and the Minister of Justice regarding the construction of courthouses in order to uphold the Ministry's mandate to provide legal services and facilitate access to justice. The ministry is responsible for ensuring that the justice system is accessible, efficient, and effectively delivered to all citizens. These consultations allow for a collaborative approach that ensures judicial infrastructure projects are in harmony with the ministry's broader mandate while still safeguarding the independence of the judiciary."

Dausab explained that this proposed change is important because it will strengthen Namibia's justice system and ensure fairness and better access to justice for all Namibians.