House of Assembly (Kiribati)

Kiribati Parliament Maneaba ni Maungatabu
Type
Type	Unicameral
History
Founded	12 July 1979 1 May 1974 (as House of Assembly of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands) 1 January 1976 (as House of Assembly of the Gilbert Islands)
Leadership
Speaker	Tangariki Reete (since 2020)
Structure
Seats	45 members (44 elected + 1 nominated Member)
Political groups	Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party (22)   Tobwaan Kiribati Party (22)   Independent (1)
Elections
Voting system	Plurality voting modified by two-round system
Last election	14 and 21 April 2020
Next election	2024
Meeting place
Ambo, South Tarawa
Website
www.parliament.gov.ki

The Kiribati Parliament (Gilbertese: Maneaba ni Maungatabu, lit. 'meeting house of the sacred mountain') is the Legislature of Kiribati. Since 2016 it has comprised 45 members, 44 elected to a four-year term from 7 single-member and 16 multi-member constituencies, and 1 delegate representing the Banaban community on Rabi Island in Fiji, nominated by the Rabi Council of Leaders. From Independence in 1979, the Attorney-General had been an ex officio member of Parliament, until the Constitution was amended (with effect from 28 September 2016) to remove this privilege.

Old Parliament House, Bairiki village, South Tarawa.

From Independence until 2000, Parliament sat in Bairiki village on South Tarawa, in the building that had accommodated the colonial era House of Assembly. In October 2000 Parliament moved to new premises in Ambo village, South Tarawa.

History

Colonial era

The decolonisation process for the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony began with a Colony conference in 1956. An Advisory Council was established in 1963, comprising 5 elected members and 12 ex officio members. The Advisory Council was replaced by a House of Representatives, comprising 23 members, in 1967, which was itself replaced by a 28-member Legislative Council in 1970. A new constitution entered into effect on 1 May 1974, establishing a 28-member House of Assembly. Later that year the Tuvaluan people of the Ellice Islands voted in a referendum to separate from the Gilbert Islands, with the separation taking effect on 1 January 1976.

Post-independence

The Gilbert Islands gained independence as the Republic of Kiribati on 12 July 1979. The 35 elected members of the former House of Assembly (who had been elected at the 1978 general elections) automatically became members of the new Parliament, with the addition of the delegate from Rabi and the Attorney-General (ex officio). Following reviews by the Electoral Commission, the number of elected members was increased to 36 for the 1982 general elections, to 39 in 1987, 40 in 1990, 41 in 2003 and to the present 44 in 2007. The Attorney-General ceased to be an ex officio member of Parliament from 28 September 2016.

Speaker

Main article: Speaker of the House of Assembly (Kiribati)

The Parliament is presided over by a Speaker, elected by its members from outside Parliament under section 71 of the Constitution.

At the first parliamentary sitting following general elections (and whenever the office of Speaker is vacant), the Chief Justice presides over the Parliament for the purpose of electing a new Speaker. Conduct of the election proceeds in accordance with Rule 6 of the Parliament's Rules of Procedure.

Under section 72(3)(a) of the Constitution, the Speaker does not have a vote on any matter, either original or casting. Should a vote result in a tie, the Speaker has to declare it as lost.

Logo

On 26 October 2020, the Parliament adopted a new logo.

See also

• Politics of Kiribati
• List of legislatures by country

External links

• Official website