24 Nov 2013

The National Assembly speaker, Dr Margaret Nasha, on November 21 was forced to adjourn Parliament proceedings because there was no quorum.

Since the beginning of the current Parliament sitting, proceedings had to be paused for five or more minutes to search for other MPs in order to form a quorum. A quorum for a sitting of the Parliament or a committee of the whole Parliament was one-third of the number of seats in the Parliament at the time.

The National Assembly deputy speaker, Mr Pono Moatlhodi, had also, in one of the incidents, warned the MPs that the integrity of the House was at stake and appealed to them to honour the House and their positions- as it would reflect badly on the House.

Earlier, Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, stood on a point of procedure seeking clarity on why the by-election in the Francistown West constituency had been postponed from November 23 to the January 25, 2014.

Mr Mmolotsi’s concern was that the matter was of national importance and as national leaders they only got to learn about the statement when they arrived at Parliament buildings on Thursday.

Therefore, he asked for further explanation on what prompted the decision to postpone the by-election. However, the National Assembly deputy speaker who is also Tonota South MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said Mr Mmolotsi’s intention would not be entertained as he had not fulfilled what was required in the Standing Orders 50.1 or 50.2. 

Therefore, in his assessment of Mr Mmolotsi’s point of procedure, the National Assembly deputy speaker aligned him with Standing Order number: 50.1 or 50.2, saying “those are actually the correct areas through which you ought to be advocating for the clearance you are trying to seek.”

“You don’t just stand like that. But, if indeed my memory serves right that you are so doing, 50.1 is so clear and has this to say: “a member may on any day other than the first day of a session, at a time appointed in Standing Order 30, that is daily routine of business, rise in his or her place state that he or she asks, leave to move the adjournment of the Assembly for the purpose of discussing a definite matter,” he said.

Furthermore, Mr Moatlhodi said Standing Order 50.2, also stated that: “a member, who wishes to ask, leave to move the adjournment of the Assembly shall before the commencement of the sitting hand to the Speaker a written notification of the matter, which he or she wishes to discuss. The Speaker shall refuse to allow the claim unless he or she is satisfied the matter in definition urgent and public importance.”

“And honestly, in all fairness, Honourable Mmolotsi you have not satisfied any of the above and it is regrettable, your intention cannot be entertained,” he added.

Meanwhile, finance and development planning minister, Mr Kenneth Matambo, tabled the Annual Report of the National Development Bank- covering the operations of the bank in the financial year 2012/2013. ENDS