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MPS SWEARING-IN, SPEAKER ELECTION TODAY

06/10/2023 06:55:00 Sabelo Majola

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MBABANE – As per the House of Assembly Standing Orders third edition, 2023, Members of Parliament (MPs) will today elect their Speaker and his deputy.

Clerk to Parliament Benedict Xaba has announced that today is the swearing-in ceremony of both the elected and appointed MPs, which shall be conducted in the House of Assembly. Section 7 of the Standing Orders depicts that the House shall, when all the members who are present have been sworn, in terms of Standing Order No. 5 (Members Sworn), and provided that a quorum is present, and before the despatch of any other business, proceed to elect a Speaker (as provided for under Section 102 of the Constitution) and until a Speaker is elected, the clerk shall act as chairperson.
Section 8 (1) of the Standing Orders stipulates that MPs shall, in accordance with Section 102 of the Constitution, elect, by secret ballot, a Speaker of the House of Assembly from among the members or from outside.

“MPs shall, in accordance with Section 103 of the Constitution, elect by secret ballot, a deputy speaker of the House of Assembly from among the members of the House. (3) The House shall, in accordance with Sections 102 and 103 of the Constitution, elect a Speaker and the deputy Speaker - (a) when the Assembly first meets after a general election; or (b) if the office of Speaker or deputy Speaker becomes vacant,” read the Standing Orders.
Subsequent to the election of the Speaker and his deputy, the Standing Orders specify that the two shall then present themselves to His Majesty the King as catered for in Section 13.

Practicable

“The Speaker and deputy Speaker, accompanied by the proposer of the Speaker and three (3) other Members of the House nominated by the clerk shall, as soon as practicable after the declaration of the results, present themselves to His Majesty the King for royal approbation and, on returning to the House, shall report such presentation,” reads the Standing Orders.

After the Speaker and his deputy have presented themselves before the head of State, Section 16 of the Standing Orders stipulates that the House shall constitute itself into an electoral college and proceed to elect senators in accordance with the Senate (Elections) Act No. 7 of 2013 or its successor.
Where it appears that female MPs do not constitute at least 30 per cent of the total membership of Parliament, then the House shall elect four women on regional basis, in accordance with the Election of Women Members of the House of Assembly Act No. 9 of 2018.

Thereafter, the King is expected to appoint 20 senators in accordance with Section 94 (3) which dictates that 20 senators, at least eight of whom shall be female, shall be appointed by the King, acting in his discretion after consultation with such bodies as the King may deem appropriate. The appointment of the senators by the head of State will mark the full composition of Parliament and the next task, which is also the responsibility of the King, would be to appoint the prime minister. This significant exercise, as it has been the norm over the years, is likely to take place at the Sibaya slated for October 23, 2023.

After the appointment of the head of government, the King is expected to proceed and appoint the Cabinet team, which is the Executive Arm of Government, an exercise that is expected to transpire shortly after Sibaya and it will mark the full composition of government.