Swapo Party Members of Parliament (MP)s continue to defend the Petroleum Bill, lamenting that the bill is not aimed at centralizing power, but rather at protecting national interest, improving policy coordination, and expediting investment.
Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Indileni Daniel, is in full support.
“Keeping it to the presidency improves policy coordination, speeds up major investment decisions, and strengthens investors' confidence by providing clear and stable authority.”
Swapo Party MP Linda Mbwale echoed the same sentiments.
“It positions Namibia to safeguard national interests, promote transparency, and ensure that the exploration and production of petroleum resources translates into such a good social-economic benefit for our communities."
Other MPs also gave their inputs.
“The bill rightly realigns strategic petroleum powers to the office of the president, ensuring that decisions affecting our most critical natural resources are made at the highest level of executive accountability in full accordance with our constitution,” MP Clemencia Coetzee noted.
"This is not day-to-day interference, but the establishment of an ironclad policy directive from the outset. Furthermore, reporting lines are clarified within the bill's framework,” MP Austin Samupwa said.
The bill, however, still faces resistance from the opposition, who argue that it does not align with the Constitution.
“The sitting minister of Mines and Energy was duly appointed for a reason, and any specific overruling in decision-making may be interpreted as being at the expense of the electorate,” according to Ambrosius Kumbwa from the All People’s Party (APP).
Republican Party (RP) MP Mbundu Mathias spoke without reservation.
"This is not drafting convenience, as convenience is constitutional engineering. Licensing power is swept, policy direction is swept, regulatory supervision and the reality decision are swept, and data control, appointments and removals are all swept into the presidency."
Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) MP Alosius Kangulu questioned the role of the ministry.
“This bill introduced a clear list of duplication of its mandate. Namibia has already established institutions within the Ministry of Industries, Mines, and Energy, tasked with petroleum regulation.”
“The president does not sit in this House, nor does the director general or the deputy. They are not members of parliament. Who can be directly questioned through our proceedings? " IPC MP, Lilian Lutuhezi, argued.