The National Assembly on Tuesday passed the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill through its second reading, with 50 members voting in favour and none against, following a heated procedural dispute over a request for a division of the House.
The vote on 20 October 2026 clears another stage in the government’s efforts to amend the legislation governing Namibia’s petroleum sector, although the Bill must still undergo detailed consideration before it can become law.
The vote followed a debate that had been adjourned on 14 October, when a request for a division of the House interrupted proceedings.
When the matter returned to the National Assembly on Tuesday, the member who had requested the division attempted to withdraw the request, accusing the presiding officer of applying parliamentary rules inconsistently.
The member argued that the delay between the original request and the vote had allowed additional members to enter the chamber.
However, the presiding officer rejected the attempted withdrawal and ruled that the division should proceed.
A further dispute arose when another member, recorded by the parliamentary secretariat as having seconded the original request, denied doing so.
The presiding officer said the parliamentary records would be checked, but maintained that a division had been requested and seconded.
The disagreement continued after the minister responsible for industries, mines and energy delivered a brief response to contributions made during the second-reading debate.
The minister thanked members for their contributions and indicated that some of the issues raised would be considered during a more comprehensive review of Namibia’s petroleum legislation.
“I have noted your contributions and some of them definitely will come in the comprehensive amendment of the Petroleum Act which we are currently busy reviewing,” the minister said.
The minister added that the amendment would strengthen the country’s management of its petroleum resources.
However, the response prompted criticism from members who questioned why the minister had not addressed the substantive concerns raised during the debate.
One member argued that parliamentarians had invested considerable time researching the proposed legislation and making recommendations, but had received little explanation about which proposals the government accepted or rejected.
The member questioned whether a minister could adequately conclude a debate by simply thanking parliamentarians without responding to the issues they had raised.
The presiding officer replied that the rules did not allow the Speaker to prescribe the content of ministerial responses.
Members were also reminded that the Bill would proceed to a stage at which its provisions could be considered individually.
The procedural disagreement intensified when members challenged the interpretation of the rules governing the withdrawal of motions and requests for divisions.
Despite the objections, the presiding officer ordered the division to proceed, with the parliamentary bells rung before members were called upon to indicate their positions.
Members supporting the Bill were asked to stand, followed by those opposing it and those abstaining.
The announced result was 50 votes in favour, none against and no abstentions.
The presiding officer subsequently declared the Bill approved at second reading.
The passage is significant for Namibia as the country prepares for the possible development of offshore petroleum discoveries and reviews the institutional arrangements governing the sector.
During earlier parliamentary debates, members raised questions about the allocation of regulatory authority, accountability, petroleum revenue management and the safeguards needed to protect national interests.
Those matters remain relevant as the Bill moves towards detailed consideration.
The second-reading vote does not amount to final enactment of the legislation, and any amendments arising during the subsequent stages will still have to be considered under the parliamentary process.
