President’s 2020 SONA & Constitution Bill 2020 set for Parliament Next Week
Justice Minister Hon Dawda Jallow in Parliament © Askanwi Media
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
The Gambia’s Minister for Justice, Hon. Dawda A. Jallow is set to table “The Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia” on Monday 14th September 2020 before the National Assembly for the first reading. According to the National Assembly’s Agenda for the “third ordinary session of the National Assembly in the 2020 Legislative Year”.
On the same day “the Gambia Women Enterprise Fund Bill, 2020” will also be tabled in Parliament for the Consideration stage of the Bill.
The next two days [15th and 16th September] will feature the Second Reading of the Constitution Bill, 2020 when debates will commence on the “General merits and Principles of the Bill”. Besides the usual Prayers, Correction and Approval Record of Votes and Proceedings of the previous day, both days appear to be dedicated to this agenda.
National Assembly members will then take a break from the Constitution debate and give their undivided attention to President Adama Barrow for his State of the Nation Address. No National Assembly sitting has been scheduled for Friday 18th September with the next scheduled sitting taking place on Monday 21st September 2020.
The following Monday, the Women Enterprise Fund Bill, 2020 will be tabled in Parliament for its all-important Third Reading followed by a debate on the State of the Nation Address delivered by the President. This will dominate the week’s National Assembly sittings set to conclude on Thursday 24th September 2020.
It’s expected that the National Assembly will vote at the end of the Second Reading after their debate on the Bill before them. According to provision 226 (2) (b) of the 1997 Constitution “the Bill is supported on the second and third readings by the votes of not less than three-quarters of all the members of the National Assembly”.
There are 53 elected National Assembly members with one deceased NAM in Hon. Demba Sowe of Niamina East meaning that currently there are 53 elected NAMs plus 4 Nominated NAMs with voting rights (Speaker is not a voting NAM). Three quarters of 57 Voting NAMs comes to 42 NAMs, meaning that at least 42 NAMs must vote in favour of the Constitution 2020 Bill or it will not proceed to the all-important Committee Stage and Third Reading.
If the Constitution Bill, 2020 does proceed to the Third Reading, three-quarters of all NAMs must again vote in favour for the Bill to be “referred by the Speaker to the Independent Electoral Commission and the Commission has, within six months of such reference, held a referendum on the Bill”. This is according to provision 226 (4) (d) of the 1997 Constitution.
