NATIONAL ASSEMBLY — During a session in the National Assembly on Monday, Member of Parliament Nico Smit strongly criticized the Public Gatherings Bill, labeling it a throwback to the repressive era of apartheid.

According to Namibia Press Agency, a representative of the People’s Democratic Movement, the bill which seeks to regulate public gatherings and processions represents a severe restriction on democratic freedoms, particularly the right to peaceful protest. “The proposed Public Gatherings Bill in Namibia is poised to spark significant concern among citizens and rights advocates, as it seeks to impose restrictions on fundamental freedoms crucial to democracy,” Smit articulated. He argued that the bill would represent a significant step back from the democratic progress made since colonial times and would contravene the Namibian Constitution’s Article 21(2), which guarantees freedom of speech and expression.