TWENTY per cent. That is the percentage of lawmakers whose commitment to their vocation is reflected in the time they set aside for it. According to records compiled by the Free and Fair Election Network, only 66 out of 333 MNAs attended all nine sittings of the 27th session of the National Assembly. Thirty-three lawmakers did not show up for a single one. The prime minister was among the persistent absentees. What does one make of these numbers, if not that parliament has fallen into dysfunction? In the current government’s era, we have frequently been told that ‘parliament is supreme’; that it represents the might and majesty of the democratic system at work, and that all other institutions must bow before it. The irony is that it is now being abandoned by some of its most vocal champions. It is no longer a question of whether the institution is failing to work — its own custodians have stopped pretending that it does. That leaves one to wonder: when those charged with keeping parliament alive and running are not even bothering to show up, what do we have left to call supreme?

One persistent criticism in recent years has been that the National Assembly has passed legislation after legislation without adequately debating its contents or weighing its consequences. For a long time, this was considered a consequence of external pressures. It now seems our legislators have been lulled into such complacency that they feel they do not need to contribute anything at all. After all, there is very little incentive to ensure consistent attendance. When the democratic process can be short-circuited to reward fealty to the system rather than service to the people, the electoral costs may seem minimal or even negligible. It is little wonder that the space left by our absentee lawmakers has been quickly filled by those looking to game the system. Many lawmakers have complained, both on and off the record, that legislation and constitutional amendments land on their desks without prior notice, and they are expected to pass them without any discussion of what they are about. It is worrying to contemplate that the same legislature will soon be expected to vote on next year’s federal budget. Perhaps the public should not expect much advocacy on their behalf from lawmakers who treat their responsibilities more as a formality than an obligation.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2026