EDITORIAL: Mbumba’s moment of reason

President Nangolo Mbumba’s refusal to sign Swapo lawmaker Jerry Ekandjo’s private members’ bills, which sought to criminalise homosexuality, is a decision worthy of commendation. At a time when populism could have easily swayed him, Mbumba chose reason over repression.Recently, he signed into law an amendment to the old Marriage Act, defining ‘spouse’ strictly as a person married to someone of the opposite sex. This legislation effectively outlaws same-sex marriages in Namibia and nullifies the 2023 Supreme Court ruling that recognised same-sex unions performed abroad involving Namibian citizens.Yet for Ekandjo, this was not enough. His proposed legislation aimed to go further – not just to block same-sex marriages, but to criminalise homosexuality altogether. He envisioned penalties as severe as N$100 000 in fines or up to six years in prison for those who dare to love outside what is considered the norm in Namibia.Mbumba’s decision does not make him a champion of equality. His approval of the Kawana bill already dealt a significant blow to marriage equality. But in the eyes of many, his stance on Ekandjo’s bills represents a line that Namibia was not willing to cross. The state has denied same-sex couples the legal recognition of marriage, but has not resorted to persecuting them for simply existing.Of course, for Namibia’s LGBTQI+ community, this is little consolation. The inability to legally marry means being denied fundamental rights – joint financial security, inheritance protections and the dignity of legal recognition.For now, however, Mbumba’s refusal to yield to calls for criminalisation is a relief. It spares Namibia the disgrace of enacting laws that would have placed it among the most regressive nations on the continent. It is a small, yet significant, stand for basic human dignity.

EDITORIAL: Mbumba’s moment of reason

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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EDITORIAL: Mbumba’s moment of reason

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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