Infographic: Private Members' Bills - How effective have they been?

Prior to 2012, the introduction of bills into Parliament were exclusively in the hands of Ministers and Members of the Executive Council (MEC). The role of an MP was to oversee the implementation of these bills all the way to the President's desk. A new ruling in late 2012 sought to disseminate this executive facility to promote a bottom-up approach to law-making, which culminated in the introduction of the Private Members’ Bills (PMBs). This made it possible for MPs to introduce their own bills, granting them a more proactive role in the legislative process.

But how have MPs utilised their new powers, and how successful have PMBs been? The infographic below shows that out of 11 PMBs put forward, none of them have even passed the National Assembly stage - they have either been withdrawn or lapsed at the end of the Fourth Term.