An adjournment motion is a motion to adjourn the business of the Assembly for the purpose of discussing a specific, definite matter of urgent public importance. It is not a motion to adjourn the House itself. Speaker determines if the motion satisfies the 15 admissibility conditions mentioned in the Rule 111. If the Speaker clears it, the mover must ask the leave of the House for discussion.

Discussion on an adjournment motion is limited to two hours, with speeches capped at 10 minutes each. However, the mover and Minister concerned may speak for more than ten minutes.

Why it matters for the National Assembly proceedings?

The adjournment motion is one of the most powerful tools to have a public discussion on a matter of urgent concern. Its power is correspondingly constrained as the matter must be recent, specific, government-related, not sub-judice, and not raised in the same session within the previous four months.

What is in it for citizens?

When members seek to raise a major national event urgently in the National Assembly, the adjournment motion is often the procedural vehicle. Whether the Speaker holds the motion in order, whether the Assembly grants leave, and whether the discussion takes place are all observable and verifiable events that citizens can track through the records available on the National Assembly website.

Source: Rules 109–111, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007

The proceedings of the National Assembly are governed by the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. The current rules were passed on 23 February 2007 and have since been amended 21 times, most recently on 22 October 2024.

This post is part of FAFEN’s series on parliamentary literacy. Read more of this series here.