Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 984659,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/984659/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 25,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Honourable Members, as I conclude, I am cognizant of the fact that, during the Special Sittings or indeed thereafter when called upon, each one of you will certainly be required to make a determination on any of the matters that I have highlighted before you in terms of decision-making and voting as required under Article 122 of the Constitution and Standing Order 69 which provides for the manner of voting in Parliament. However, as you are all aware, paragraph 2 of the Speaker’s Guidelines provides that at any one time in the Chamber, there shall be only seventy (70) Members. To this end, and in recognition of the right of every Member to vote, I have designated and declared the Members’ Lounge adjacent to the Speaker’s walkway as a Voting Lobby for purposes of according every Member an opportunity to vote on matters where a division is claimed, or upon request by a Member to use roll call voting. Consequently, the Clerk is forthwith directed to make the necessary arrangements for roll call voting as envisaged under Standing Order 73(Roll call voting). Please note that a roll call vote shall only take place whenever necessary, when need arises or upon request by any Members who may wish to vote but are not in the Chamber due to the limited seating capacity. Honourable Members, as is the procedure during a roll call vote, to actualise this process, the Party Whips will be required in the usual manner to designate the tellers for the “Ayes” and tellers for the “Noes” for such business and submit their names to the Speaker, who shall direct that the tellers do take seats at designated places in the Voting Lobby. During voting, Members shall be required to walk in an orderly manner to the Voting Lobby and adhere to the relevant guidelines including on social distancing, among others. Each Member will then be required to declare assent or dissent to a question in the following manner “I vote yes” or “I vote No”. Thereafter, the tellers shall present the result of the roll call vote to the Speaker who shall collate the result of the roll call vote together with the results of the vote taken in the Chamber and thereafter announce the tallied result of the vote to the House. Honourable Members, I will strive to ensure that, even amidst the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented regarding the manner in which the business of this House is to be conducted, urgent business of the House is facilitated seamlessly, efficiently and in a manner that guarantees your health and safety and protects the right of every Member to vote. Honourable Members, extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures hence, the guidelines and this advance communication. As your Speaker, I undertake to ensure the House is facilitated to transact business, to keep you updated, as necessary, and to periodically review the guidelines to accord with the changing times. The House is accordingly guided. Let us all stay safe! I thank you."
}