Parliament passes bill to establish AG office as independent service
The legislation stipulates that it must come into effect within 90 days of enactment.
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The Parliament on Thursday passed the Attorney General’s Office Bill, which restructures the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) as a separate entity, removing it from the Civil Service framework.
The change is intended to address long-standing concerns over recruitment challenges and salary constraints within the AGO.
The bill was passed with 64 votes in favour and 10 abstentions. No members voted against the proposed legislation.
Under the bill, the employees of the Attorney General’s Office will now fall under two newly defined services — the Legal Service and the Administrative Service — both operating independently of the Civil Service Commission.
The Legal Service will consist of professionals appointed to carry out legal functions at the AGO, while the Administrative Service will comprise personnel responsible for administrative management of legal divisions and the office as a whole.
The Attorney General will hold the authority to appoint and dismiss members of the Legal Service. For the Administrative Service, appointments and dismissals will be made by the Attorney General, based on the advice of the Office’s Secretary General.
The legislation includes several provisions related to human resource matters following the transition of staff into these new services. Key points include:
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A new organisational structure for the AGO must be formulated within 60 days of the law coming into force.
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The position structures for both Legal and Administrative Services must be developed.
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A regulation outlining employment terms — including promotion criteria, working hours, leave policies, employment conditions, and termination — must be issued.
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A salary structure for AGO staff must be finalised within 30 days. Salaries and allowances will be determined by the Ministry of Finance in line with the National Pay Commission’s policies.
The Attorney General’s Office Bill was initially submitted during the last parliamentary session as part of the government’s legislative agenda. The bill had been reviewed and returned by the committee for revisions before being sent back to the floor.
One of the main amendments made during the second committee review was a change to the procedure for appointing the Deputy Attorney General. While the original version gave sole discretion to the Attorney General, the revised version mandates that the Attorney General must have a deputy to support official duties.
Additionally, the appointment process for the Deputy Attorney General was changed from being made on the advice of the President to being made by the President based on the recommendation of the Attorney General.
The legislation stipulates that it must come into effect within 90 days of enactment.
