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Zvamaida Murwira Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe should ratify the Pan African Parliament (PAP) Revised Protocol signed by Heads of State and Governments in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in June last year if Harare is to effectively enjoy and assert its rights on the continental body, a legislator has said. Chirumhanzu-Zibagwe Member of the National Assembly Cde Auxilliah Mnangagwa (Zanu-PF) said only two countries on the African continent had done so, while Zimbabwe was still to sign the protocol.

She said this in the National Assembly last Tuesday while presenting a report of the PAP session held in Midrand, South Africa. She led a Zimbabwean delegation to South Africa last month.

Cde Mnangagwa said Heads of State and Government adopted the protocol containing several key decisions that enhanced the socio-economic and political developments on the continent, notably in education, health, agriculture, trade, women and youth development.

“The implementation of the revised PAP Protocol is, however, subject to the signing and ratification by the requisite number of States before coming into force,” she said. At least 28 African Parliaments should ratify the instrument to enable it to come into force.

To date only Mali and Mauritania have signed the amended Protocol.

“This is despite the fact that the Parliament is situated in Southern Africa. Zimbabwe did not even sign the Protocol. Other countries have at least signed and have commenced ratification. These include Swaziland, Ghana, Senegal, Malawi, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Mozambique and Western Sahara. Only parliaments which have ratified will continue their membership when the Protocol comes into effect.”

Cde Mnangagwa said the adoption of the protocol comes as PAP had been transformed into a legislative organ to make model laws in areas determined by Heads of State and Government for approval by members of respective parliaments. Hatfield MP Dr Tapiwa Mashakada said it was embarrassing that Zimbabwe, being at the helm of the AU, was still to sign and ratify the Protocol.

“I urge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ensure that it is ratified,” he said. “Zimbabwe as the chairperson of AU has to lead by example because it becomes an embarrassment that as chair you have not ratified it.”