42.- 1. When the House first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the despatch of any other business, it shall elect a person to be the Speaker; and if the office of Speaker falls vacant at any time before the next dissolution of Parliament the House shall, as soon as practicable, elect another person to that office.

2. The Speaker may be elected either from among the members of the House or from among persons who are not members of the House but are qualified to be elected as such.

3. When the House first meets after any general election, and before it proceeds to any other business except the election of the Speaker, it shall elect a member of the House to be Deputy Speaker, and if the office of Deputy Speaker falls vacant at any time before the next dissolution of Parliament the House shall, as soon as practicable, elect another such member to that office.

4. The House shall not elect a member who is a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary to be a Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House.

5. No business (other than the election of a Speaker) shall be transacted in the House at any time when the office of Speaker is vacant.

6. A person shall vacate the office of Speaker-

a. in the case of a Speaker elected from among persons who are not members of the House-

i. when the House first meets after any dissolution of Parliament; or

ii. if he ceases to be a citizen;

iii. if any circumstances arise that would cause him to be disqualified for election as a member of the House by virtue of any of the provisions of section 39 of this Constitution; or

b. in the case of a Speaker elected from among the members of the House-

i. if he ceases to be a member of the House except that the Speaker shall not vacate his office by reason only that he has ceased to be a member of the House on a dissolution of Parliament until the House first meets after the dissolution; or

ii. if he is appointed to be a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary.

7. A person shall vacate the office of Deputy Speaker-

a. if he ceases to be a member of the House;

b. if he is appointed to be a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary; or

c. if he is elected to be Speaker.

8. a. If, by virtue of section 41(2) of this Constitution, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker is required to cease to perform his functions as a member of the House, he shall also cease to perform his functions as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be, and those functions shall, until he vacates his seat in the House or resumes the performance of the functions of his office, be performed-

i. in the case of the Speaker, by the Deputy Speaker or, if the office of Deputy Speaker is vacant or the Deputy Speaker is required to cease to perform his functions as a member of the House by virtue of section 41(2) of this Constitution, by such member of the House (not being a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) as the House may elect for the purpose; or

ii. in the case of the Deputy Speaker, by such member of the House (not being a Minister or Parliamentary Secretary) as the House may elect for the purpose.

9. If the Speaker or Deputy Speaker resumes the performance of his functions as a member of the House in accordance with the provisions of section 41(2) of this Constitution, he shall also resume the performance of his functions as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.