Namibia: Govt backs down on citizenship
Published: 3/Aug/2016
Source: The Namibian
by Ndapewoshali Shapwanale
CABINET yesterday said government will abide by the Supreme Court ruling and grant citizenship to a child who was born in Namibia to Dutch parents, just days before the National Council was set to pass an amendment to the Citizenship Act.
The Supreme Court ruled on 23 June that the home affairs minister should give Bram Cornelius de Wilde, who was born in 2009, a birth certificate within 30 days.
This came after the home affairs ministry had been taken to court for refusing to grant the child a Namibian birth certificate, arguing that he did not qualify for one because his parents were resident in the country on a work permit.
After the Supreme Court ruling, home affairs minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and attorney general Sacky Shanghala requested Cabinet to amend the Constitution, but they were turned down.
They then drafted amendments to the Citizenship Act in order to deny the child citizenship. The National Assembly passed the bill and the National Council, according to sources, would have endorsed it this week before the expiry of the Supreme Court’s deadline.
After Cabinet’s decision to abide by the Supreme Court ruling, the National Council may not proceed with deliberations on the proposed amendments.
Read further on The Namibian website.