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MPs clash over Insolvency, Metrology bills

Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday sent the Insolvency and Metrology bills back due to governments’ failure to follow standing orders.

Procedurally, a Bill is supposed to go through the Committee Stage before it is brought for deliberations.

Parliament_2014Starting the debate was People’s Party (PP) MP Raphael Mhone, who stood on a point of order saying the Bill must not be read as it was never introduced in the Committee Stage.

“The standing orders are very clear and what is happening is wrong.” he said.

His statement prompted Leader of the House Francis Kasaila to argue that there is no need, as standing orders also provide for the House to deliberate.

According to Kasaila, there are currently two standing orders in force hence the confusion.

“This issue of taking back Bills to Committee Stage usually arises but New Standing Orders provide that a Bill can be taken to Committee Stage at any point and that is what we were going to do before members of the house start responding in protest, it is not a big issue,” he said.

The debate lasted for 30 minutes and it took the intervention of Speaker Richard Msowoya who ruled that the Bill be read for the first time then sent back to Committee stage.

“This is my judgement, allow the Minister of Industry and Trade Joseph Mwanamvekha to read the Bill then it will be sent back,” he said.

The Bill was read and business of the house continued.

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