WINDHOEK: Members of the National Council on Tuesday expressed their support for the Marriage Bill.

The aim of the Bill is to clarify that same-sex marriage is illegal in Namibia and to address other objectives related to regulating marriage in the country. The new Bill seeks to amend the Marriage Act of 1961.

During the second reading of the bill, which had been passed in the National Assembly, members described the legislation as a valuable tool for regulating marriage in the country.

‘It is equally also going to make a big impact as to how marriage is going to be conducted and by whom. What is also interesting is that the Bill clearly defined marriage as a legal union between couples of the opposite sex on a voluntary basis,’ Philemon Ndjambula said in his contribution.

The representative of the Swapo Party from the Oshikoto Region has also urged Government to prioritise the integration of customary laws into the common law in order to protect cultural and traditional norms.

The Marriage Bill was init
ially introduced in the National Assembly by the Minister of Home Affairs, Albert Kawana to regulate the solemnisation of marriages and define marriages.

It came during the time of a heated public debate concerning the status of same-sex relationships in Namibia, following a High Court decision to outlaw colonial-era laws that criminalised sexual acts between men.

Hans Nambondi, another Swapo representative from Oshikoto, supported the Bill but cautioned Namibians against adopting foreign cultures. ‘Why is it that we like to copy negative things? We have our historical backgrounds and norms from generations to generations, and they must be respected,’ he said.

Harald Kambrude, a lawmaker from the Landless People’s Movement, stated that the Namibian Constitution does not recognise same-sex unions. He believes that the court ruling would require a Constitutional amendment to recognise same-sex marriage, a stance he does not support.

Lonia Kaishungu-Shinana, a Swapo lawmaker from the Ohangwena Region, expres
sed that the legislation was long overdue. She emphasised that only marriages between individuals of opposite sexes should be solemnised.

The Parliament’s support for the Marriage Bill is a significant setback for the LGBTQI+ community in Namibia, as they actively advocate for legal recognition.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency