Skip to content

Federal Lower House: 10 bill articles amended to be submitted to the house in the first session of the New Year

Federal Lower House building in Mogadishu. Photo courtesy: Online

Though the lawmakers of the national assembly are currently in holiday but it is expcted to be presented with 10 articles that were rectified in different ways during their 2nd session of the 10th parliament that will take place in the New Year.

The most important articles among them include the followings:-

Initially the MPs must attend the Lower House by 9am and they have to sign a rota. After 11am one will be regarded to be absent if they don’t sign it.

Second, the quorum for a session to start with will be 50%+1 of the general number of the MPs.

Third, annually the Lower House can have sessions and in every session will proceed for 4 months. The assembly can also hold extraordinary sessions and the holidays are for 2 months.

Fourth, Lower House leadership will have to distribute the agendas 12 hours before a session and around 10 MPs can request for the inclusion or amendment of new agendas. So the house council will deem right to include such new agendas in the same session if voted for by 50%+1 present in the quorum.

Fifth, the voting process is hand raising or secret voice and the speaker will announce the process. The MPs can propose a secret voting if they experience a particular condition provided their number can reach 20 to be effective. If voting for a motion becomes a tie, such a motion will not be passed if it was a hand raising vote and the speaker will vote to break the even numbers.

Sixth, an MP cannot speak without permission. If an MP creates a disturbance, he will be ordered to leave the session. If he acts in obedience to it, he will be ordered to be absent for 3 days from the assembly.

Seventh, point of Order: Every member can request from a point of order. Any member given the permission, he can speak directly about the article discussed in a brief way and cannot deviate from the point.

Eighth, debating the motion: The Lower House will debate policy papers and proposals of resolutions. The process of proposals include: delaying the session, postponing the motion, point of order, brief confirmation. Important ones include: policy bill and its amendments, amendments on the customary laws, accusation against a president, impeaching a prime minister and dethroning an assembly leadership.

Ninth, members of the Lower House will be compelled to stand when the following members enter the house: President of the Somali republic, Speaker of the House, an invited foreign president or his representative and speaker of parliament from another country.

Tenth, creating laws: This can take place by two processes. One is through policy paper created by the government or one invented by the parliament.

Goobjoog News