Constitution of the Republic of Namibia 1990, as amended to 2014
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    Whenever or wherever in terms of this Constitution the limitation of any fundamental rights or freedoms contemplated by this Chapter6 is authorised, any law providing for such limitation shall:
    (a) be of general application, shall not negate the essential content thereof, and shall not be aimed at a particular individual;
    (b) specify the ascertainable extent of such limitation and identify the Article or Articles hereof on which authority to enact such limitation is claimed to rest. (Art. 22)
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    (1) Nothing contained in or done under the authority of Article 267 hereof shall be held to be inconsistent with or in contravention of this Constitution to the extent that it authorises the taking of measures during any period when Namibia is in a state of national defence or any period when a declaration of emergency under this Constitution is in force.

    (3) Nothing contained in this Article shall permit a derogation from or suspension of the fundamental rights or freedoms referred to in Articles 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 19 and 21 (1)(a), (b), (c) and (e) hereof, or the denial of access by any persons to legal practitioners or a Court of law. (Art. 24)
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    (1) Save in so far as it may be authorised to do so by this Constitution, Parliament or any subordinate legislative authority shall not make any law, and the Executive and the agencies of Government shall not take any action which abolishes or abridges the fundamental rights and freedoms conferred by this Chapter, and any law or action in contravention thereof shall to the extent of the contravention be invalid: provided that:
    (a) a competent Court, instead of declaring such law or action to be invalid, shall have the power and the discretion in an appropriate case to allow Parliament, any subordinate legislative authority, or the Executive and the agencies of Government, as the case may be, to correct any defect in the impugned law or action within a specified period, subject to such conditions as may be specified by it. In such event and until such correction, or until the expiry of the time limit set by the Court, whichever be the shorter, such impugned law or action shall be deemed to be valid;
    (b) any law which was in force immediately before the date of Independence shall remain in force until amended, repealed or declared unconstitutional. If a competent Court is of the opinion that such law is unconstitutional, it may either set aside the law, or allow Parliament to correct any defect in such law, in which event the provisions of Sub-Article (a) hereof shall apply.
    ... (Art. 25)
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    (1) At a time of national disaster or during a state of national defence or public emergency threatening the life of the nation or the constitutional order, the President may by Proclamation in the Gazette declare that a state of emergency exists in Namibia or any part thereof.

    (5) (a) During a state of emergency in terms of this Article or when a state of national defence prevails, the President shall have the power by Proclamation to make such regulations as in his or her opinion are necessary for the protection of national security, public safety and the maintenance of law and order.
    (b) The powers of the President to make such regulations shall include the power to suspend the operation of any rule of the common law or statute or any fundamental right or freedom protected by this Constitution, for such period and subject to such conditions as are reasonably justifiable for the purpose of dealing with the situation which has given rise to the emergency: provided that nothing in this Sub-Article shall enable the President to act contrary to the provisions of Article 24 hereof.
    … (Art. 26)
Limitations and/or Derogations
  • English
    No repeal or amendment of any of the provisions of Chapter 38 hereof, in so far as such repeal or amendment diminishes or detracts from the fundamental rights and freedoms contained and defined in that Chapter, shall be permissible under this Constitution, and no such purported repeal or amendment shall be valid or have any force or effect. (Art. 131)
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Constitution of the Republic of Namibia 1990, as amended to 2014 (English). According to Art. 3(1): "The official language of Namibia shall be English.”

Links to all sites last visited 28 February 2024
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Chapter 3 on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.
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Chapter 3 on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.
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Chapter 3 on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.
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Chapter 3 on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.
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Chapter 3 on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.
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Art. 26 on State of Emergency, State of National Defence and Martial Law.
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Chapter 3 on Fundamental Human Rights and Freedoms.