The Pan African Parliament has pledged to push the several African Countries that have not ratified the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance to ratify the charter.

PAP member, Mary Mugyenyi

The charter principally aims to promote and strengthen democratic principles, processes and procedures within member states of the African Union and was adopted in January 2007 by the African Union

One of Uganda’s representatives in the Pan African Parliament, Mary Mugyenyi has told journalists at Parliament that the process of ratification has been slow with only 29 out of 53 countries having signed the charter since 2007 when the charter was ratified and only 4 have done the actual ratification of the charter and these are Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Mauritania and Sierra Leone.

Mugyenyi says that PAP will push 11 more countries to ratify the charter such that that charter can get full force in the continent by the end of 2011.

The Member of Parliament for Kongasis Johnson Toskin says since the African Union declared 2010 as the year of peace and security on the African Continent and since good governance that the charter advocates for is a prerequisite for peace in the continent, it is vital to push more countries to ratify the charter.

Article 45 of the Charter mandates the Pan African Parliament, the legislative organ of the Africa Union to ensure the ratification of this charter.

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By Zacharia Tiberindwa, Ultimate Media