By: Fatou Krubally
Business in the National Assembly came to an unexpected halt on Monday after lawmakers failed to meet the minimum attendance required for proceedings (quorum), forcing the adjournment of the sitting and delaying consideration of several important bills.
Deputy Speaker Seedy Njie who presided over the session, informed members that the House lacked the numbers needed to conduct official business. In an effort to secure the required attendance, he ordered the ringing of the division bell to summon lawmakers to the chamber.
Despite waiting for members to respond, the House remained short of the required quorum. The Deputy Speaker observed that some lawmakers were reportedly outside the jurisdiction, while the whereabouts of others were not immediately known.
Members present agreed to allow additional time in the hope that more legislators would arrive and enable the sitting to proceed. However, the effort failed to produce the necessary numbers, leaving the presiding officer with little choice but to adjourn the session until Tuesday.
The adjournment stalled progress on a number of legislative measures listed on the day’s Order Paper. Among the affected items were the first readings of the Labour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
Also postponed were the second reading of the Gambia Immigration Bill, 2026, and the continuation of the consideration stage of the Intellectual Property Bill, 2025, all of which had been scheduled for debate and further processing during Monday’s sitting.
About the Author
