Article 97 - Tenure of Office of Members

(1) A member of Parliament shall vacate his seat in Parliament—

(a) upon a dissolution of Parliament; or

(b) if he is elected as Speaker of Parliament; or

(c) if he is absent, without the permission in writing of the Speaker and he is unable to offer a reasonable explanation to the Parliamentary Committee on Privileges from fifteen sittings of a meeting of Parliament during any period that Parliament has been summoned to meet and continues to meet; or

(d) if he is expelled from Parliament after having been found guilty of contempt of Parliament by a committee of Parliament; or

(e) if any circumstances arise such that, if he were not a member of Parliament, would cause him to be disqualified or ineligible for election, under article 94 of this Constitution; or

(f) if he resigns from office as a member of Parliament by writing under his hand addressed to the Speaker; or

(g) if he leaves the party of which he was a member at the time of his election to Parliament to join another party or seeks to remain in Parliament as an independent member; or

(h) if he was elected a member of Parliament as an independent candidate and joins a political party.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (g) of clause (1) of this article, a merger of parties at the national level sanctioned by the parties' Constitutions or membership of a coalition government of which his original party forms part, shall not affect the status of any member of Parliament.