The Political Parties Registration T Commission (PPRC) new Bill still stuck in Parliament several months after being tabled in the legislative House.

If enacted into law, the new PPRC Bill will change the nomenclature of what is currently known as the Political Parties Registration Commission to Political Parties Regulation Commission, make provision for political parties to be given subventions and makes way for other structural reforms, but passing the Bill requires amendment of Section 34 of the 1991 Constitution and that can only happen with the support of 98 MPs in the current opposition led Parliament.

The stranded Bill which is supposed to be passed six months before the 2023 election was tabled in Parliament together with the Public Election Bill.

For the constitutional instrument to be amended, you need at least 98 members of parliament to vote in favour. We have been in Parliament, but unfortunately, we could not have the 98 members for the constitutional instrument, PPRC Chairman, Abdulai Masiambay Bangura told journalists during a press conference at the Commission’s office, noting: “This is a bill that is not coming from us.”

According to the PPRC Head, the Bill was developed in compliance with the report of the EU election observation mission of the last general elections which made recommendation for PPRC to review its Act, so the Commission could have the appropriate authority to regulate political parties.