Three lawmakers chosen to help Speaker

ashery mkama

MEMBERS of Parliament here have endorsed three chairpersons of the House who will be assisting the Speaker and Deputy Speaker to chair sessions of the assembly for the next two years and a half.

The new chairpersons are former Attorney General and ex-cabinet minister who is now Bariadi West MP, Mr Andrew Chenge, and Special Seats MPs Dr Mary Mwanjelwa and Najima Murtaza Giga.

The trio were selected by the Steering Committee during its recent meeting in accordance to provisions of revised Standing Orders number 117 (8) of January, 2016.

Speaker of the National Assembly Job Ndugai explained that the revised Standing Orders require the Steering Committee to select three names from among Chairpersons and Deputy Chairpersons of Parliamentary Standing Committees to assume the positions.

“They will serve as chairpersons for the next two years and a half as long as they continue with their positions as chairpersons or deputy chairpersons of their respective committees.

After the elapse of the first term they may be considered for re-selection for the remaining life of the Eleventh parliament,” Mr Ndugai explained.

Ms Mwanjelwa pledged to serve lawmakers from across the political divide in line with the Standing Orders while Ms Giga pledged to put national interests ahead of political or individual interests.

Mr Chenge is the Chairman of the newly formed Subsidiary Legislations Committee and Ms Mwanjelwa is the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Lands, Natural Resources and Tourism. For her part, Mr Giga is the Deputy Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs.