Opposition Members of Parliament walked out of the National Assembly after objecting to the resumption of debate on the proposed appointment of Dr. Gerson Sindano as Chairperson and Dr. Emmerentia Leonard and Julieta Diva Ferreira as Members of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
The dispute stems from proceedings last week, when a debate on the motion was halted due to a division in the house.
Voting could not proceed because there was no quorum after several members walked out.
Deputy Speaker Phillipus Katamelo subsequently ruled that the house should continue from the point where proceedings had stopped.
"We were all present when this issue reached a standstill." We had a point of voting. Yes. The voting collapsed. Yes. Isn't it? Yes. And that's where we'll start. Yes. The voting collapsed, and that's where we'll start. No, no, no, no, no, no.”
Opposition MPs argued that the Order Paper specifically referred to the "resumption of debate," meaning members should have been given an opportunity to continue debating the motion before proceeding to a vote.
Swanu leader Evilastus Kaaronda said the earlier walkout was not an objection to voting itself, but rather to what they described as the manner in which the Speaker moved the House toward a vote without allowing debate to resume.
PDM Leader McHenry Venaani appealed for a culture of compromise, warning that continued political disagreements could make it difficult for Parliament to pass legislation.
“Our politics needs to give and take every day because of the political dynamics that are confronting our parliament. And if your party is coming every day with these stories, you will have difficulty in getting legislation through. Let's raise the politics of our country to a culture of give and take.”
Despite the objections, the Speaker ruled that the House should proceed with the question, stating that when an agenda item is interrupted, proceedings should continue from the point where they ended.
Opposition MPs left the chamber.
The House then proceeded to consider the nomination and appointment of the proposed ECN members.
With 49 members recorded as present, the majority supported the motion, resulting in the National Assembly adopting and approving the nominations submitted by the President.