Observe Standing Orders, Speaker reminds MPs

DODOMA: NATIONAL Assembly Speaker, Dr Tulia Ackson yesterday reminded lawmakers to observe Parliamentary standing orders and avoid indiscreet conducts in the House.

The Speaker was expressing her disappointment over some MPs’ tendency of interfering with House businesses.

“You are not doing good to the Prime Minister. You are disrespecting the National Assembly. I think this has been understood,” she stressed when responding to a concern from SpecialSeats MP Sophia Mwakagenda (CHADEMA) who sought the Speaker’s guidance on the matter.

Ms Mwakagenda argued that for a long time the Speaker has been urging and educating them on the house procedures.

She said some MPs were approaching Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa when the session is ongoing and spend a lot of time speaking with him.

“We have been asking that the PM gets chance to listen to us when we ask question to ministers as well as when the ministers reply, apart from this we also want an audience with the PM over some matters, but for some of us spending much time with PM denies others that opportunity and makes him fail to concentrate on the debate,” Ms Mwakagenda explained as she asked the Speaker’s guidance to address the problem.

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Reacting, the Speaker acknowledged the challenge, saying it was true that some MPs go against house procedures.

“It is important to respect this Parliament session because all Tanzanians look upon us over our decisions,” she said.

Dr Ackson urged the legislators to let the ministers listen during the question-answer session because there were supplementary questions that may need their responses.

“Basically, I had already stopped MPs from going to where the ministers sit during the question-answer session, and today I am emphasising this,” she stressed.

Dr Tulia said there was also a tendency when the Prime Minister gets in or leaves the House while the question-answer session is on some MPs tend to stand up to greet him.

“Bear in mind that when he gets out it means that there is an emergency, he must handle and sometimes he is forced to leave during the questions and answers session. Do you think he doesn’t want to listen to his ministers here?,” she asked.

“You stand up in line for him to greet you, how many times in a day do you want him to greet you because when he gets out you stand up to greet him, when he returns you get up again.”