Proxies allowed, unjustified absences sanctioned

The Standing Orders of the Senate and the National Assembly even provide for pecuniary sanctions.

Empty seats observed in the National Assembly and the Senate during committee and plenary sittings are eyebrow-raising to members of the public, media and diplomatic corps who by professional obligation or by passion enjoy watching the lawmakers at work.

This is embarrassing, given the seriousness of parliamentary business during the 30-day ordinary sessions held thrice a year that warrant physical presence to ensure meaningful contribution to debates and votes.

However, Section 77 of the Standing Orders of the Senate provides that Senators may give proxies in plenary sittings in case of ill-health, accidents, serious domestic reasons or disasters which prevent the Senator from travelling.

Missions entrusted to the Senator by the State or the Senate or absence from the national territory during extraordinary sessions, amongst others, could also require proxies. This also applies for work in committees. Section 71 of the Standing Orders of the National Assembly is to the same effect. This mechanism enables both Houses to meet required quorums for business to proceed.

The presence 91 MPs is needed in plenary and 11 in committee meetings for the quorums to be met.

However, if both Houses entertain justified absences for which proxies are provided to attain the required quorums, sanctions are provided for absences that are not justified. At the National Assembly, the Bureau is empowered to sanction absentee MPs. According to Section 100 of the Standing Orders of the House, where a Member of the National Assembly fails to attend three consecutive meetings without any valid explanation, he shall forfeit half of his parliamentary allowance during the period of absence and for two months following his resumption of duties.

Pecuniary sanctions are also applicable in the case of absence of Members of the National Assembly without justification at the sittings of the General Committees of which they are member. Moreso, where a Member of the National Assembly fails to attend three consecutive ordinary sessions without any valid explanation, the Bureau of the National Assembly shall as of right establish the resignation of the Member, according to Section 101.

Sources at the National Assembly hold that so far no unjustified absence has been recorded because even the Chief Whips of Parliamentary Groups ensure that they establish proxies for their absent peers. In the case of protracted illness, the MP might be established a Standing proxy.