Will continental legislators step up to the task?
The Pan-African Parliament, roared back to life on Monday resuming sessions after 2 years of inactivity. The African Union’s third organ in the order of hierarchy seems to be now well in-course of a new direction under the leadership of the recently elected Bureau following its suspension after series of controversies concerning electoral and governance issues. Add into that was the problem of the pandemic shutdown, which temporarily stalled work on the revival of the institution.
The PAP president and speaker, Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira in his keynote made a revelation that there were fears that the institution, having developed bad blood with its mother body the African Union over the course of previous administrations, would be suspended indefinitely.
So it was with some relief that the African Parliament in June made swift achievements upon election on structural reforms and negotiations with the mother body. The continental parliament has been restored its full operational powers along with a handsome budget.
The parliamentarians are being tasked with developing new methods in how PAP approaches continental legislative issues, as the organization expands in response to contemporary problems and demands of the African citizenry.
Legislators are being called to self-introspect in this process of rebranding the PAP to become a people-centered institution that is representative of regional diversity, and one that functions cohesively with the African Union.
“Do we comprehend the intentions of the founding fathers in establishing the Pan African Parliament? If so, are we living up to those intentions and expectations? That is the sobering question that confronts us today as we meet for our first official engagement since the historic June 29 elections”, said the PAP president Sen. Chief Charumbira.
During the ongoing 3-day, capacity-building workshop themed ‘reviving, renewing, repositioning and reinvigorating the PAP’, parliamentarians and their specialized committees will analyze issues affecting their ability to deliver in their mandate and map a way forward to achieve tangible deliverables.
The African citizenry has now been waiting over two years for one of the continent’s most influential advisory bodies to heed their plight in response to problems that riddle the continent post-COVID. Addressing a full house of parliamentary representatives from the 5 African regions Sen. Chief Charumbira challenged the parliamentarians to adopt servant leadership.
“Ask not what Africa can do for you but what you can do for Africa”, said Chief Charumbira. “We invite you, through this workshop, to help us carry and deliver on this onerous responsibility to serve the people of Africa”, he added.
