Swapo party member of parliament Natangwe Ithete has apologized to Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) red-beret, Kalimbo Ipumbu for a verbal spurt that degenerated into a physical confrontation this week in parliament.
That was after the speaker of the national assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi, who this week has had a tough time maintaining the house in order, issued a verbal warning against the two for causing chaos.
But Ithete said as much as he was apologizing, he could not allow Kalimbo to disrespect a female member of the house.
He told the speaker that Kalimbo had also spit on his head while talking and that according to him this was not tolerable “in this time of Corona”.
“I rise to accept the ruling, your ruling, and equally I apologize first to the Namibia nation, to this parliament and Hon. Ipumbu that wrong is never addressed by wrong. My behaviour was triggered by the Hon. member, I could not allow the member to treat women, the way he (did). And during this time of corona, we should all fight against coronavirus. I could not allow someone to speak on top of me close to my head without a mask with saliva, spitting on top of my head. So, I had to push that particular member. But I accept the warning, thank you,” he said to applause.
Kalimbo also took the stand and told the speaker that he would not be apologizing.
He, however, said that those who needed to be respected in the house should also do the same to fellow members.
“I rise actually to… not to apologize, but also just to alert the house that it should not become a cause of insulting people unnecessarily. For one to be respected you must also show respect to others. No one wants to see women being treated badly just as men. Respect must apply to both sides. What happened, I know Hon. Ithete regretted but the Hon. member in front of me, please Hon. speaker for the good faith of this nation to listen to this parliament, please try to see any amicable way to cation the Hon. member that was sitting in front of me,” he said.
This will be the second time that the speaker would be issuing a warning to members as he did the same to LPM’s Bernardus Swartbooi and Henny Seibeb.
However, Swartbooi has said the warning had no effect.