The Speakership is the most important office in the House.
The first business of the House is to elect a Speaker when
the Assembly first meets, after a general election.
The Constitution provides that the Speaker may or may not be
an elected Member of the House. The Government and
the Opposition normally agree on a candidate.
However, if more than one candidate is proposed and seconded,
the Assembly proceeds to elect the Speaker by secret ballot.
The Speaker holds office for the duration of the life of
Parliament, unless
he is removed earlier on by the Assembly.
The Speaker is the principal office holder of the House and
its spokesperson in relation to the other constituent part
of Parliament - the President of the Republic. The Speaker
symbolizes the authority
of Parliament. The main function of the Speaker is to ensure
that the Standing Orders and Rules of the National Assembly
are complied with. The Speaker interprets and enforces the
Standing Orders
and for the purpose of interpretation, recourse is often had
to Erskine May's Parliamentary Practice, responds to
Members' points of order and give rulings when necessary.
His ruling cannot be
challenged, except on a substantive motion to that effect,
and any criticism of his actions outside Parliament may
amount to contempt of the National Assembly.
The Speaker decides on the admissibility of Questions to
Ministers and on the choice of speakers during the debates
and in so doing, he seeks to allocate the call evenly
between the government and
non-government Members.
The Speaker must maintain order during debate, which becomes
sometimes unruly. The Speaker can call Members to order for
the use of 'unparliamentary language', for misbehaviour, for
constant interruptions,
for irrelevance in debates and for engaging in private
conversations. The Speaker may order a Member, whose conduct
is grossly disorderly, to withdraw immediately from the
House during the remainder
of the day's sitting. If a Member persistently flouts the
authority of the Chair or wilfully obstructs the business of
the House, by abusing the Rules of the Assembly, the Speaker
is empowered
to 'name' the Member.
One of the most important qualities of a Speaker is
impartiality. He must be above party politics. Once
elected to the Chair, he owes his loyalty to the dignity of
Parliament.
The Speaker has ultimate responsibility, together with the
Office of the Clerk, for the administration of Parliament
and the operation of the Parliament House. Furthermore, the
parliamentary precincts
of the National Assembly are under the control and
management of the Office of the Speaker.
