Diplomats, politicians doze in parliament

By Tawanda Kanhema
How diplomatic is it to sleep in parliament?
Diplomats and politicians attending the State of the Nation Address in Windhoek last week had their eyes closed for the better part of President Hifikepunye Pohamba’s speech, raising questions over whether it is politically correct or diplomatic to sleep in parliament.
Hardly 20 minutes into the president’s address to the nation, which touched on wide ranging government programmes and the economic challenges and prospects facing the country, a good many ambassadors and politicians appeared to be sleeping.
Informanté reporters covering the State of the Nation address noticed at least six diplomats and two politicians who were dozing in the august house, and some of them came up with very witty and diplomatic explanations.
The front row of parliament’s diplomatic bench resembled a slumber house, with at least six key diplomats dozing through most of the president’s speech.
Swapo backbencher, Tommy Nambahu, rushed to his defence when asked why he was dozing during the address.
“Maybe I am unpatriotic, maybe I am reactionary, and maybe I should be forced to resign… it’s very unbecoming for us to sleep while the president is speaking. Is this what you want to portray?”
Deputy Safety and Security Minister Gabes Shihepo, “You people can make stories out of nothing, I was there to listen to what His Excellency was saying, and I listened.”
The Nigerian ambassador Christopher Adegboyega Ariyo, who sat next to the German ambassador Arne Freiherr von Kittlitz, feels that by raising the issue of people dozing in parliament, the press is “disrespectful and doing a disservice to Africa.”
Ariyo came into parliament just in time for the address, had a brief chat with the German envoy, and then reclined into a comfortable sleeping position. Twenty minutes into the address, the immaculately dressed West African emissary closed his eyes.
“I was internalising what the president was saying, if you publish this your paper is doing a disservice to Africa. We are people with responsibilities. I will report you to your ambassador,” he said
Barely 10 minutes after H.E Ariyo started ‘internalising the address’ with closed eyes, the German envoy slowly closed his eyes.
The German embassy responded that the ambassador was not sleeping, but was contemplating President Pohamba’s address.
“My ambassador was not sleeping, he was thinking about what the President was saying, If you say he was sleeping I will have to reject that,” said Deputy Head of Mission, Ute König, who is also the Spokesperson of the German embassy.
The British High Commissioner put up a spirited defence against the view that he could have been dozing.
“I was awake throughout. I had my head down whilst making notes, I have been known to close my eyes while listening hard to what others e.g. the President are saying, and reflexively close my eyes if a flashgun goes off,” said Mark Bensberg, the British High Commissioner.
The other female diplomats in the far right corner of the gallery dozed for a few minutes before one snoring envoy woke her neighbour up. The envoy followed the speech for a few minutes before falling back into a state of placid relaxation.
During his address, President Pohamba outlined the government’s policies on the economic and social front, calling for closer regional economic cooperation within the Southern African Development Community.