When the Pan African Parliament meets for the 6th Ordinary Session of the 3rd Parliament, one of the main items on the agenda will be the election of a new President (Speaker), who chairs the Bureau and House sittings. Comprising of the PAP President and four Vice Presidents, the Bureau (similar to Parliament of Uganda’s Parliamentary Commission) is charged with the management and administration of PAP and its organs.
The Pan-African Parliament, comprising 235 Parliamentary representatives elected by the legislatures of 47 of the 54 AU Member States, was established in 2004 with a “vision to provide a common platform for African peoples and their grass-roots organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making on the problems and challenges facing the continent.”
The current President H.E Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi lost in their party PDP primaries before the Nigerian general election held early this year. Elected as PAP President in 2012, replacing Dr. Idriss Ndele (Chad/Central), Amadi had continued with his predecessor’s programme of seeking the approval of the AU Heads of State Summit of the amended Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan African Parliament. The approval would among others grant legislative powers to the PAP.
The amended Protocol was finally approved by the Heads of State Summit meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in 2014. It however requires ratifications from 28 AU Member states before it can take effect.
With three African regions having had Presidents – Gertrude Mongella (Tanzania, Eastern), Idriss Ndele (Chad, Central) and Amadi (Nigeria, Western) it would be automatic that the next President would come from one of the other two Regions – Northern and Southern, following the rotational basis that has been followed (although not provided in the Protocol) since the inception of the institution. This could not be the case this time; and a showdown is expected when the process formally kicks off.
Members have argued that the Southern Region (South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Madagascar) should not get the Presidency since South Africa plays host to the Pan African Parliament (in Midrand) and still holds the position of the Clerk to Parliament. Meanwhile, the Northern Region (with Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Saharawi) is looked at as outsiders, with more allegiance to the Arab world; and is currently embroiled in political turmoil, with Egypt and Libya not even represented at PAP, leaving only a few countries there capable of fielding a candidate. Already, serious lobbying is on. Two country delegations have visited Uganda (and other countries) meeting the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Jacob Oulanyah and Ugandan representatives to PAP; both delegations were here seeking the support of Uganda’s Members of Parliament for their candidates.
From Cameroon was the Parliament Deputy Speaker, Joseph Mba, also a PAP member, rooting for Hon. Roger Nkodo Dang, currently the 1st PAP Vice President since 2012. He’s campaigning on the ticket of continuity and consistency. Ordinarily each region would agree and nominate two candidates (male/female) from their countries (caucus); present them to the whole House (then one stands down) for the vote. In 2012, Amadi was the sole candidate from the Western Caucus and stood unopposed in the House, however, the vote had to be taken since the President must garner 51 percent of the votes.
Now, two candidates have expressed interest to stand from the Southern Region, which has nominated Hon. Eduardo Joaquim Mulembwe, the former Speaker of the Mozambique Parliament; and Chief Fortune Charumbira (Zimbabwe), who is the current chair of the Committee on Administration and Financial Evaluation (CAFÉ) at PAP, a member of the government party, ZANU PF in Zimbabwe and President of the Zimbabwe Chiefs’ Council. Hon. Mulembwe belongs to the FRELIMO and has been a member of the Mozambique National Assembly since 1994 and a PAP delegate since its inception in 2004. He says that the functioning of PAP Committees is weak. Mulembwe says, “The lack of adequate oversight and control mechanism jeopardises one of the core responsibilities of a legislative body.”
Parliament of Uganda Speaker welcomed the Mulembwe’s candidature and said she would discuss with the Ugandan delegation before a decision is made on which candidate to back.
“I shall be discussing with the Ugandan delegation on how to move. Certainly he (Mulembwe) has a lot of experience,” said Hon. Kadaga, while meeting the visiting delegation, May 6, 2015.
During the last elections for President, the entire Ugandan delegation backed the only candidate, but was divided for the Vice Presidents with some members backing a Rwandan candidate while others backed a Kenyan and later an Ethiopian. Ugandan representatives to PAP are Hon. Onyango Kakoba (NRM, Buikwe North), Hon. Beatrice Barumba (NRM, Kiruhura district), Hon. Jacqueline Amongin (NRM, Ngora district), Hon. Elijah Okupa (FDC, Kasilo) and Hon. Sam Amooti Otada (Ind., Kibanda).
With the rotational arrangement only an understanding amongst states, some members have suggested that the PAP Presidency should be on merit. During this same session, which runs May 18 – 29, 2015, various other positions including those of Vice Presidents, heads of caucuses – regional, and youth will all be up for grabs.