| Parliament name |
Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
Speaker of Parliament |
| Term |
- duration: 4 years (term of House)
- reasons for interruption of the term: becomes a Minister or Deputy Minister - illness leadind to incapacity - any action that disqualifies him for election as a Member of Parliament |
| Appointment |
elected by all Members of the Parliament at the first sitting day after the inauguration of the new Parliament, after Members are sworn in |
| Eligibility |
- Members of the Parliament nominated by their party, with formal notification of candidature |
| Voting system |
- formal vote by secret ballot at the simple majority
- if there is a succession of votes, new candidates are admitted and certain candidatures must be withdrawn in the light of the results of the previous vote |
| Procedures / results |
- the Clerk of Parliament presides over the Assembly during the voting
- the Clerk of Parliament and representatives of various parties in the Parliament supervise the voting
- the Clerk announces the results immediatly after the election,
-the result can be challenged |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks third after the President of the Republic and his Vice President
- in the absence of the President of the Republic and his Vice President, the Speaker acts as Head of State
- represents the Parliament in international bodies (Union of African Parliaments, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Inter-Parliamentary Union)
- is ex officio President of the Committee of Selection and of the Standing Orders Committee
- in the absence of the Speaker, two Deputy Speakers can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
- the Parliamentary Service Board is regulated by the Constitution
- is composed of 6 members: the Speaker (Chairman), a majority leader, a minority leader, a former M.P, a femal M.P, the Clerk of the Parliament
- meets once a month or when necessary, on the initiative of the Speaker |
| Material facilities |
- allowance
- official car
- official residence
- secretariat
- free medical care
- police protection |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study
- examines the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees
- appoints committees and their presiding officers |
| Chairing of public sittings |
- opens, adjourns and closes sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Assembly
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures, asks the Clerk to take appropriate action
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Assembly
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates, with the consent of the House |
| Special powers |
- makes sure that appropriate budgetary allocations are given to Parliament
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments
- is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber |
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion
- refers bills to the appropriate committees
- presides and steers deliberations on bills until they are passed
- ensures that only relevant amendments are filled to bills
- must be consulted in certain circumstances (dissolution, appointment of the Prime Minister...) |
