RULES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY Issued : June 1999 2nd Edition : January 2000 3rd Edition : October 2002 4th Edition : January 2004 5th Edition : January 2007 5th Edition (reprint) : April 2008 6th Edition : November 2008 7th Edition : June 2011 8th Edition : February 2014 Rule changes since publication of 7th Edition [June 2011] Rule No Subject Date amended Remarks Rule adjustment to appoint 33 chairpersons of extended public 24/05/12 Substitution committees Motions of No Confidence in terms 102A 25/02/14 Insertion of section 102 of the Constitution Rule adjustments to increase the Rule 105(5) 24/05/12 number of statements by members amendment Rule adjustments to increase the Rule 105(9) 24/05/12 number of ministerial responses amendment Rule adjustment to determine the 106(5) order and time allocated for party 24/05/12 Substitution responses to executive statements Composition of Programme 188(1) 22/08/13 Substitution Committee 188(2)&(3) 22/08/13 Deletion Decision of questions before 190A 22/08/13 Insertion Programme Committee Bills initiated by Assembly 234 to 236 09/10/2012 Deletion members in individual capacity Interim measures for the introduction and consideration of 22/11/2012 Insertion private members’ bills RULES OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CONTENTS Rule ...................................................................................Page CHAPTER 1 Application, supplementing and suspension of Rules 1. Definitions .................................................................... 1 2. Unforeseen eventualities .............................................. 3 3. Suspension .................................................................. 4 4. Non-diminution or non-limitation of Rules ..................... 4 5. Application to President of the Republic ....................... 4 6. President of the Republic and other non-members ....... 4 CHAPTER 2 Proceedings in connection with commencement of session 7. Convening notice read, and oath or Affirmation by members ...................................................................... 5 8. Election of President of the Republic ............................ 5 9. Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker ..................... 5 10. Opening of Parliament or annual session ..................... 5 11. Opening Address reported ........................................... 5 12. Opening Address placed on Order Paper ..................... 6 i Rule ...................................................................................Page CHAPTER 3 Presiding officers and members Part 1: Presiding Officers 13. Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker ..................... 7 14. Election of other presiding officers ............................... 7 15. Relief of Speaker ......................................................... 7 16. Absence of Speaker ..................................................... 7 17. Continued absence of Speaker and Deputy Speaker ... 8 18. Absence of presiding officers ....................................... 8 Part 2: Members 19. Oath or affirmation ....................................................... 8 20. Leave of absence ......................................................... 9 21. Leader of the Opposition .............................................. 9 CHAPTER 4 Sittings of the Assembly Part 1: General 22. Forums for public proceedings ..................................... 10 23. Sitting days and hours of sitting .................................... 10 24. Change of venue .......................................................... 11 Part 2: Sittings in plenary 25. Quorum ........................................................................ 11 26. Absence of quorum ...................................................... 12 ii Rule ...................................................................................Page 28. Opportunity for prayer or meditation ............................. 12 29. Sequence of proceedings ............................................. 12 30. Interruption, suspension or adjournment of proceedings ............................................................. 13 Part 3: Extended public committees 31. Business of extended public committee ....................... 13 32. Members ...................................................................... 13 33. Chairperson of extended public committee .................. 13 34. Relief of chairperson .................................................... 13 Part 4: Appropriation committees 35. Referral of business to appropriation committee .......... 14 36. Members ...................................................................... 14 37. Chairperson .................................................................. 14 38. Relief of chairperson ..................................................... 14 39. Sitting days and times of meeting .................................. 14 Part 5: Public access 40. Admittance of strangers ................................................ 15 41. Withdrawal of strangers ................................................ 15 42. Serjeant-at-arms to remove strangers ........................... 15 43. Visiting Heads of State .................................................. 15 CHAPTER 5 Order in public meetings and Rules of debate Part 1: Order in meetings 44. Freedom of speech and debate .................................... 16 45. Conduct of members .................................................... 16 iii Rule ...................................................................................Page 46. Members not to converse aloud ................................... 17 47. Member not to be interrupted ....................................... 17 48. Order at adjournment ................................................... 17 49. Precedence of presiding officer .................................... 17 50. Irrelevance or repetition ............................................... 17 51. Member ordered to withdraw ........................................ 17 52. Naming or suspension of member ................................ 18 53. Member to withdraw from precincts of Parliament ......... 18 54. Period of suspension .................................................... 18 55. Expression of regret ..................................................... 19 56. Grave disorder ............................................................. 19 57. Member to withdraw while his or her conduct is debated ........................................................................ 19 Part 2: Rules of debate 58. Member to address Chair ............................................. 19 59. Calling of members ...................................................... 20 60. Time limits for speeches ............................................... 20 61. Reference to member by name .................................... 20 62. Member not to read speech ......................................... 20 63. Offensive language ...................................................... 20 64. Reflections upon decisions of same session ................ 21 65. Reflections upon statutes ............................................. 21 66. Reflections upon judges, etc ....................................... 21 67. Matters sub judice ........................................................ 21 68. Rule of anticipation ....................................................... 21 69. Explanations ................................................................ 21 70. Points of order .............................................................. 22 71. Acting for absent member ............................................ 22 72. Right of members to speak .......................................... 22 73. When reply allowed ...................................................... 22 74. Debate closed .............................................................. 22 iv Rule ...................................................................................Page CHAPTER 6 Decision of Questions 75. Decision of postponed questions .................................. 23 76. Decision of question postponed .................................... 23 77. Electronic voting system ............................................... 23 78. Postponed question put without further debate ............ 23 79. Question put again ....................................................... 23 80. Question fully put ......................................................... 24 81. Declaration of vote ....................................................... 24 82. Recording of opposition ............................................... 24 83. Demand for division ..................................................... 24 84. Fewer than four members supporting demand for division ..................................................................... 25 85. Division bells rung and doors locked ............................. 25 86. Procedure after doors locked ........................................ 25 87. Minority consisting of fewer than 15 members .............. 26 88. Member calling for division to vote with minority ........... 26 89. Members present shall vote ......................................... 26 90. Points of order during division ...................................... 26 91. Result to be declared ................................................... 26 92. Confusion or error concerning division ......................... 26 93. Correction of Minutes ................................................... 26 CHAPTER 7 Motions 94. Nature of motions ......................................................