Namibia's legislature considers amending constitution to allow civil servants to run for office

The National Assembly (NA) will this month consider a motion to discuss the possibility of amending constitutional provisions prohibiting civil servants from participating as candidates in national elections. Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Elma Dienda, who tabled the motion on Wednesday, said certain provisions of the Constitution seem to be "directly and indirectly discriminating against certain members of society" and violate their right to freely participate in democratic elections. [ . . . ] Dienda said these provisions are unconstitutional, because they impinge on the rights of Namibians to join the National Assembly without losing their jobs. "The provision also . . . discriminates against members of the public and civil service, and not against those employed in the private sector," she said.
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