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{
    "id": 456154,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/456154/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 219,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Members, I wish to make this Communication relating to the Memorandum for refusal to assent to the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No.5 of 2013. Hon. Members, you will recall that on Wednesday, 12th February, 2014 I promised to give a communication on the procedure to be followed when considering the Memorandum from His Excellency the President on the Insurance (Amendment) Bill, National Assembly Bill No.5 of 2013. His Excellency the President’s Memorandum indicates specific provisions of the Bill which require to be reconsidered by this House. Article 115(4) of the Constitution provides and I quote: “Parliament, after considering the President’s reservations, may pass a Bill a second time, without amendment or with amendments that do not fully accommodate the President’s reservations, by a vote supported by – (a) by two-thirds of members of the National Assembly; and (b) two-thirds of the delegations in the Senate, if it is a Bill that requires the approval of the Senate. “ Also relevant to this process is the provision of Standing Order No.154 which requires the National Assembly to dispose of the Memorandum within 21 days. Therefore, the House has to conclude the reconsideration of the Bill by 4th March, 2014. Hon. Members, Article 115 of the Constitution gives the House three options. The first one is that the House may approve the President’s reservations as contained in the Memorandum. To do this, you require a simple majority. Under the second option, the House may approve the President’s reservations with amendment and under the third one, you may refuse to accept the President’s reservations and, therefore, approve the Bill in its original form. For the House to take the latter two options, you require resolutions supported by votes of not less than two-thirds of all Members of the National Assembly. Since the Speaker does not have a vote, two-thirds of 349 Members translates to 233 Members. It is therefore clear that for the House to either defeat or enter any amendment on the President’s reservations, you pass a resolution supported by not less than 233 Members. Hon. Members, as you are aware, in terms of procedure, Standing Order No.138 provides that on recommital of Bills, the Committee of the whole House considers only 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."
}