Wetang’ula Calls On Pan African Parliament To Champion Economic Recovery And Self Reliance For A Prosperous Africa
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula pose for a photograph with visiting President of the Pan-African Parliament Chief Fortune Zephaniah Charumbira alongside Kenyans delegation to the continental assembly Margaret Kamar, Danson Mungatana, Rahab Mukami, Joseph Majimbo Kalasinga; and Esther Passaris.
By PSCU
Worth Noting:
- “The major role of the Pan-African Parliament is to remove all existing barriers to thriving Intra Africa Trade, issues of climate change that have highly affected Africa,’’ he said.
- The Speaker emphasized that climate change has had a severe impact on food security and has led to the extinction of some wild animals in African nations. Therefore, it is imperative to address this issue with utmost urgency.
- “We here in Kenya have just recently witnessed a very bad drought that so several lives being lost, huge rivers drying up and even in one of our National reserves reports indicated that we lost more than one hundred and forty elephants in less than six months something that has never happened in the past forty years,’’ he said.
National Assembly Speaker yesterday urged the Pan-African Parliament to be on the frontline in contributing to a more prosperous future for the people of Africa by promoting self-reliance and economic recovery.
During a meeting at Parliament Buildings with President of the Pan-African Parliament, Chief Fortune Zephania Charumbira, who paid him a courtesy call, Moses Wetang’ula expressed his belief that PAP should fulfill its vision of promoting continental unity and fostering a shared destiny among Africans.
“The dream we Africans had of Pan Africanism Parliament that is still valid today even as much as it has been greatly frustrated, we would like to see PAP grow to the level of European Union Parliament with direct elections of members from member states,” he said.
The Speaker observed that it is the desire of Africans to see PAP having a continental mandate with jurisdiction, so that any legislative structure, however limited, can be binding on member countries, particularly in free trade areas, peace, and security matters.
He also emphasized that the Pan-African Parliament plays a critical role in supporting and driving issues of parliamentary and national significance in African countries, and as such, it is essential to strengthen its ties with the National Assembly of Kenya.
“The major role of the Pan-African Parliament is to remove all existing barriers to thriving Intra Africa Trade, issues of climate change that have highly affected Africa,’’ he said.
The Speaker emphasized that climate change has had a severe impact on food security and has led to the extinction of some wild animals in African nations. Therefore, it is imperative to address this issue with utmost urgency.
“We here in Kenya have just recently witnessed a very bad drought that so several lives being lost, huge rivers drying up and even in one of our National reserves reports indicated that we lost more than one hundred and forty elephants in less than six months something that has never happened in the past forty years,’’ he said.
Wetang’ula emphasized the need for Africa to adopt adaptation and mitigation strategies to global climate change since the continent suffers more from its adverse effects despite being a lesser polluter.
He urged PAP to tackle trade-related issues and foster cooperation and development within Africa, highlighting the concern that the continent’s access to and share of world trade is less than three percent, despite being endowed with vast natural resources.
Moreover, he urged PAP to foster cooperation among the Parliamentary Fora of the various Regional Economic Communities.
He also called on PAP to provide a hopeful voice for both Africans and those in the Diaspora, and to ensure effective implementation of the policies and objectives of the African Union.
“We would like to see PAP encouraging National and Regional Parliaments in order to ratify and integrate treaties adopted by the AU into their legal systems,’’ he said.
In addition, the Speaker appealed to PAP to prioritize the promotion of human rights and democracy in Africa by advocating for good governance, transparency, and accountability in member states.
He also urged PAP to create awareness among Africans about the objectives and policies related to the political and socio-economic integration of the continent, as a means to foster peace, security, and stability in the region.
It is worth noting that the Pan-African Parliament comprises of three main bodies, namely the Plenary, Bureau, and Secretariat. In addition, there are ten Permanent Committees that were established to handle various aspects of life in Africa.
The seat of the Parliament is in Midrand, Johannesburg in South Africa. The Pan-African Parliamentarians aim to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers, whose members are elected by universal adult suffrage.
The Second Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) will be convened in Midrand, South Africa, from the 8th May to the 2nd June 2023.
The Programme for the Session includes the Third Pan African Parliamentarians Summit on Climate Policy and Equity to be co-hosted by the PAP and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) on 16th and 17th May 2023. The Summit’s Chief Guest is expected to be President William Ruto, in his capacity as the Coordinator of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).
Present in the meeting were Kenya’s representation to PAP that comprises three Members from the National Assembly and two Members from the Senate. These are Margaret Kamar, Danson Mungatana, Rahab Mukami, Joseph Majimbo Kalasinga; and Esther Passaris.
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