The Selection Panel for the recruitment of nominees for appointment as the Chairperson and members of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) this afternoon gave a status update on the ongoing application for the positions.

Led by the Chairperson, Dr. Nelson Makanda, the Panel on Tuesday11th February, 2025 disclosed that as of Monday

The National Assembly is set to reconvene tomorrow, Tuesday, 11th February 2025, for the fourth session of the Thirteenth (13th) Parliament.

This follows the end of the long  recess, which saw the House take a break after an arduous Third session that was characterized by a rejection of the Finance Bill 2024, passage of six tax related laws and an amended Division of Revenue Act. 

National Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Moses Wetang'ula has expressed fears that the boundary delimitation process may be the biggest casualty of the delayed reconstitution of the electoral agency.  

Speaker Wetang’ula noted that while the delayed reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has hindered the timely conducting of by-elections in various constituencies and wards, he also stated that it may be impossible to create additional constituencies. 

The National Assembly will conclude its Third Session on February 10th 2025 with legislators having made achievements, including the introduction of 49 Bills, consideration of 161 motions, and approval of the appointment of 85 persons to various state and public office. 

The session, which ran from February 2024 saw 17 of the 49 introduced Bills assented to, including The Division of Revenue (Amendment) Act, 2024, Water (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Sugar Act, 2022.  

The Speaker of the National Assembly Rt. Hon. (Dr) Moses Wetang’ula has urged Members to engage constructively and explore alternative solutions, to ensure that the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) does not stall.

This is in light of the the High Court declaring the NG-CDF Act unconstitutional last year, whereby the High Court held that the Fund and all its projects and programmes shall cease to operate next year.

The National Assembly House leadership has emphasized that performance, consistent attendance of Committee meetings, and active participation will be key factors in the reconstitution of House Committees.

National Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Moses Wetang’ula said committees are the engine of parliamentary work and stressed that Members who demonstrate dedication, competence, and accountability in their roles will be prioritized in the new structure.