Politics

National Assembly: MPs hurriedly clap through mandate extension bill.

by Doh Bertrand Nua
28 Mar 2026 01:45
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House Speaker closing plenary sitting to adopt mandate extension bill

Members of Parliament, MPs, have hurriedly clapped through the bill extending their mandate from March 31 to December 20, 2026. Members of the ruling CPDM-dominated lawmaking chambers clapped through Bill N° 2092/PJL/AN on Monday, March 23, 2026.

This was during a plenary sitting which House Speaker, Rt Hon Datouo Théodore, presided.

The Speaker was assisted during the plenary by Hon Bara Julien, Secretary of the Bureau of the National Assembly; and Essian André Noël, the Secretary General of the National Assembly.

Deliberations kicked off with the presentation of the report on the bill by Hon Ghimbop Joséphine épse Simo, the Rapporteur of the Committee on Constitutional Laws.

The bill, it should be said, had been presented and defended before the Committee on Constitutional Laws on Sunday, March 22, 202; by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in charge of Relations with Assemblies, Bolvine Wakata.

Before the adoption, some MPs, including Hons Jean Michelle Nintcheu, Ngo Issi Rolande, Nourane Fotsing, Nkodo Dang Roger, Djeumeni Benilde, Manju Nestus, Nbouangouere Rainatou and Njong Evaristus, mounted the rostrum demanding clarifications from Minister Bolvine Wakata.

Excuse for another mandate extension

Government, through the explanatory note on the bill, justified that the extension aims to “alleviate the financial burden of elections on the State budget during these challenging economic times”.

It also added that the extension is “particularly relevant, following the elections of the President of the Republic and Regional Councillors, which required substantial resources to cater for the financial, material and security aspects of the said polls”.

The bill added that the extension will “enable the body responsible for the practical organisation of elections to make the necessary adjustments for a hitch-free organisation of the polls”.

The bill, it should be noted, was prepared pursuant to the provisions of Article 15 (4) of the Constitution, which states that: "In case of serious crisis, or where circumstances so warrant, the President of the Republic may, after consultation with the President of the Constitutional Council and Bureaux of the National Assembly and the Senate, request the National Assembly to decide, by a law, to extend or abridge its term of office".

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3740 of Wednesday March 25, 2026