That week in Parliament

It's still early days but Parliament is slowly coming back to life after a lengthy summer break. The legislature has planned a broad programme this week after a low-key start. With no sittings scheduled in the main chambers, the Committee corridor...

“I can only hope that none of those to whom an oath of office will be administered would see that exercise as just one those inconvenient processes that one has to go through, itching to occupy an office rather than determined to internalise the...

It’s a week of farewells and loose ends… The constituency period beckons, with MPs due to depart at the end of the week and return to Parliament next year. But a fair amount of work will be done before they go and there is plenty of opportunity for...

In the remaining days, lawmakers are scheduled to have debates, pass the amended budget, vote on several Bills, scrutinise/question the Executive, discuss the legislature’s programme, adopt new rules, conduct oversight visits, consider statutory...

Question Time and Legislation are the main parliamentary business this week. Legislators in the National Assembly chamber will probe the Deputy President and selected Ministers in the Social Services Cluster during their scheduled oral reply question...

There are four weeks left until Parliament rises for the year. In the remaining days, lawmakers are scheduled to vote on several Bills, approve government spending, scrutinise government performance, consider statutory appointments and instruments and...

The endgame of the parliamentary year is fast approaching. There are only five weeks left before the legislature rises and loose ends are gradually being knitted together. Following last week’s presentation of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement...

With the much-awaited presentation of the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) having come and gone, our weekly blog gleans into the role of Parliament in the processing and approval of the mini-budget.  A budget is the most important economic...

There were 39 unfinished Bills when the Fifth Parliament ended. According to National Assembly rule 333 (2), these Bills lapsed automatically when Parliament was dissolved on 7 May 2019. To date, 30 of these have been revived by the Sixth Parliament....

In August 2019, the NHI Bill was introduced to Parliament and is currently under consideration by the National Assembly’s Portfolio Committee on Health. The Bill is currently going through the stipulated parliamentary processes, including a public...