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{
    "id": 1021546,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1021546/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 122,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, JP",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Amos Kimunya",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 174,
        "legal_name": "Amos Muhinga Kimunya",
        "slug": "amos-kimunya"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 28(4), and taking cognisance of the continued spread of Covid-19 pandemic in the country, this House resolves to further alter its Calendar for the Fourth Session (Regular Sessions), as amended on 28th July 2020, and therefore orders as follows with respect to the sittings of the House during the period of 9th September to 15th October 2020— (a) that the House will hold afternoon sittings on Tuesdays commencing at 2.30 p.m. and morning and afternoon sittings on Thursdays commencing at 10.00 a.m. and at 2.30 p.m., respectively; (b) that with effect from Wednesday, 9th September 2020, the sittings of the House of Wednesdays (Morning and Afternoon) stand suspended; and (c) that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 40(3), on Thursday mornings, business not sponsored by the Majority Party, the Minority Party or a Committee shall have precedence over all other business, in such order as the House Business Committee shall determine. Hon. Speaker, Members will remember that during the last sittings, we sat only on Wednesdays, which meant we only had two sittings per week. The House Business committee (HBC) looked at the pending business, specifically Bills and Motions that pertain to private Members, and decided that we need to create one extra sitting. We will henceforth be sitting three times a week, with the Thursday morning sittings specifically dedicated to processing private Members’ Bills and other business. So, the variation between what we had last time and what we will have this time is that we will not be sitting on Wednesdays. We will sit on Tuesday afternoons. Members will have some committee business on Tuesday mornings and other committee business on Wednesdays. After Thursday, Members can then travel to their constituencies to attend to other constituency matters. That leaves us with free Wednesdays to prepare the House to conform to the health protocols in terms of any fumigation that will be required so that we are able to protect ourselves from health hazards. Again, this is a straightforward Motion. We have created one extra session. What we have noted is that there is quite a lot of pending business that relates to Members’ private Bills that is with the Committees. I want to take this opportunity to urge the Chairs and members of the Committees to fast-track whatever is pending before the Committees so that we get their reports. Unless we have the Committee reports, it will be very difficult to process the Bills on the Floor of the House. We may be frustrating Members who have put in a lot of effort in coming up with Bills. Some of those Bills have a national importance, but they are stuck in the Committees. If we could fast-track all of them and bring reports, we will use Thursday mornings to process them. And if need be, we will be able to create time either on Tuesday or Thursday afternoons to transact as many of those Bills as possible, so that whatever efforts Members have put at least can also contribute to the national good. All those Bills are meant to help in enhancement of national legislation. Members, we are asking you to support this Motion. There is an extra sitting but dedicated to you so that we are able to clear what is in the pipeline. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}