Staff Reporter
VIPUAKUJE Muharukua, PDM member of Parliament has said that people who are part of demonstrations that promote same-sex marriage or homosexuality in Namibia should be met with Special Field Force as this protest should be considered as illegal.
Muharukua, made this contribution, during the third reading of the Private Members Bill by Jerry Ekandjo which seeks to outlaw same-sex marriage in the country.
During the third reading of the bill, veteran member of parliament, Jerry Ekandjo added an amendment to the definition of the word spouse, stating that in this act, unless the context otherwise indicates, a spouse is one half of a legal union, between a genetically born woman and a genetically born man. He added that he chose to include the term genetically born, as sometimes members of the LGBTQ community change their biology to either become a man or a woman.
While this was not objected to by members of parliament much time was spent on clause 3 of the bill which stipulates that a marriage officer or a person by any designation may not solemnize, witness, gamete or propagate a marriage between parsons of the same sex.
In addition to this, the bill states that any marriage officer who purports to solemnize a marriage which he or she is not authorized under this Act to solemnize or which to his or her knowledge is legally prohibited, [and] or any person not being a marriage officer who purports to solemnize a marriage or witness, promote or propagate same sex marriage, [shall be guilty of] commits an offence and is liable [on conviction] to a fine not exceeding [R1 000] N$100 000 or, in default of payment, to imprisonment for a period not exceeding [12 months] six years, or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
Muharukua added that one does not reason in war as they fight. He added that in clause 3 of the bill, Ekandjo is fighting and members of parliament should give him the proper ammunition. “If you are approached by two persons of the same-sex, if you are recognized as a marriage officer, and you marry them, it should be a crime. When you talk about promoting, propagating, they should be prosecuted,” Muharukua said.
He added that marches who promote same sex marriage should be confronted with the Special Field Force as they promote and propagate same-sex marriage.
This was however met with opposition from SWAPO MP, Tjekero Tweya who said that Parliament makes laws to promote peace, and that they do not make laws for a specific group but for all citizens. “I want to plead with the honorable member. We make laws for all citizens so that decorum is maintained,” Tweya said.
To this, Muharukua however exemplified that those who stand outside parliament and call for an armed rebellion against Namibian government would be guilty of treason and that anyone who is a part of this march should be convicted of incitement of public violence. He added that those who promote homosexuality should be treated the same way.
Inna Hengari, PDM member of parliament however added that the Namibian constitution allows for difference in opinion. In addition to this, she inquired who get to determine that one promotes same-sex marriage, and further called for clarity in definitions in the bill.
Elifas Dingara, SWAPO member of parliament however added that in his culture, stating that “The crocodile only catches those who plays in the river,”, adding that he supports Muharukua’s views.
This was further supported by Jerry Ekandjo, who stated that only those who smoke marijuana would promote the product.
Leave a Reply