Let’s speak with one voice: Charumbira Newly sworn in Pan African Parliament member Tatenda Mavetera (right) congratulates the fifth president Chief Fortune Charumbira

Acceptance speech by chief senator fortune zephania charumbira on the occasion of his election as the fifth president of the pan african parliament

Honourable Members Of The Pan African Parliament

My distinguished colleagues

I am humbled and extraordinarily honoured by the overwhelming support and the confidence reposed in me by my election as the 5th President of this noble institution – The Pan African Parliament.

Let me say this at the onset; in this contest that just concluded, there are no losers! In fact, the big winner today is the African continent and the African people that have been yearning for our collective interventions to myriads of challenges confronting the continent.

You have spoken with one voice and I, working collaboratively with all of you, will not relent in our collective desire, as eloquently expressed in this election, to bring back the Pan African Parliament to its proper position as a continental legislative body.

I want to thank my country Zimbabwe, my fellow Zimbabwe delegation to the Pan African Parliament and in a very special way our President — His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa for this unprecedented and foundational support to my candidacy and without which I wouldn’t be standing here today.

To my brothers and sisters in the Southern Regional Caucus, this victory is for you. For several years, you stood by me and consistently affirmed my nomination as your candidate. You withstood several attacks, sacrificed so much in terms of time, talent and resources to see that equity and fairness are restored at the Pan African Parliament. I won’t harbour any mistaken illusion that the struggle that preceded my election as President was about me.

However, I cannot lose sight of your decision to entrust me and present me as the anchor of those values, principles and convictions that were manifested in the struggle that preceded my election today. I’m honoured that you chose me and I am more inspired by your support, consistent tenacity for equity and fervent determination to speak with one voice. Thank you! Thank you!! Thank you!!!

To my brothers and sisters at the Northern Regional Caucus, I am deeply indebted to you for yielding your ambition to my candidacy and allowing me to emerge as President. By this singular act, you have demonstrated that no individual ambition should ever be placed above the stability of our dear parliament. I thank you for standing with all of us as we fought to ensure that the African Union principle on geographical rotation is implemented.

I will be remiss if I do not thank in a very special way, our colleagues from the Western, Eastern and Central Caucus for your determination to elevate our institution beyond the colonial divisions of language and religion. Your vote today has demonstrated that no amount of superficial divisions of language and religion can ever overshadow our collective aspirations for a united parliament. I pledge to work with everyone and together we will achieve the Africa that we all desire.

This historic moment in our Parliament would not have been possible if not for the steadfast commitment and leadership provided by the African Union Commission led by His Excellency Moussa Faki Mahamat Chairperson of the Commission and the impeccable, indefatigable and extremely brilliant team from the Office of the Legal Counsel. The consistency and tenacity of purpose to which you exhibited in the conduct of this election and the periods before it has proven and reaffirmed the African Union as a beacon of hope and vanguard of Africa’s democratic tenets, rule of law and the pursuit of equity and justice!

Honourable colleagues, this election comes at a pivotal time in our continent. The African continent is faced with a myriad of systemic challenges that continue to undermine her human and economic development. These include political instability in some countries which is adversely affecting regional cohesion, international peace and security as well as infrastructural development, hence the thrust to Silence the Guns in Africa. Others are the negative effects of climate change which has resulted in droughts, floods and other extreme weather conditions; and the ravaging effects of the Covid-19 pandemic which has disrupted health systems. Their increased frequency and intensity over the years have adversely affected the prospects for sustained economic growth in the continent.

Furthermore, unfriendly Visa regimes affect inter-country, intra-regional and inter-regional trade, integration and cooperation. They not only inhibit the free movement of people and goods, but also retard economic growth contrary to the set objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area.  As if those were not enough, Africa is also faced with the emerging threats posed by corruption and illicit financial flows as well as the trans-boundary effects of these vices which increase the cost of doing business in the continent. Poverty, internal displacement, resource conflicts, gender inequalities, unemployment and hunger also continue to stalk the continent, thereby increasing vulnerability.

Honourable Colleagues, it is undeniable that Africa is yearning for solutions that will break the yoke of human induced missteps that have been retarding her development trajectory. As an organ of the African Union, the Pan-African Parliament is a critical cog in addressing some of the challenges facing the continent. This was why I predicated by candidacy to the Office of President of the Pan-African Parliament on a desire for purposeful and people-centric leadership and that is what I intend to deliver.

It is widely recognised that the Pan African Parliament is at cross-roads due to such constraints as institutional capacity and the needed resources to contribute meaningfully to human and socio-economic development of the continent. The Parliament has inherent framework challenges which require resolute, astute and transformational leadership that is committed to serving the people of Africa. It requires unified parliamentarians to help it emerge from the quagmire it currently finds itself entangled in.

It also requires the collective collaboration of the experience and capacity embodied in this chamber that is inspired by the need to deploy the Pan-African Parliament as an instrument to address, in a holistic and sustained manner, the challenges facing the continent. I pledge that my administration will aided by the experienced members of the bureau will create a conducive and enabling environment that will enable this institution to execute its mandate.

I am therefore glad that through consultations, we have been able to formulate during my campaign preceding this election a “10-Point Implementation Plan” that will help to actualise our vision of an effective organisation, ready to confront the challenges facing the continent as well as Africa’s development discourse.

To this end, I pledge that my administration will give priority to issues that have been undermining the integrity of the Pan-African Parliament such as organisational structure, budget, human capital and status of Honourable Members of Parliament in relation to compensation, benefits and entitlement within the African union System.

I acknowledge that for too long, issues underlying the sustainability of our Members of Parliament have not been adequately addressed. It is on this recognition that I pledge to make the welfare of the Members of Parliament, a central focus of my administration by collectively implementing with the Bureau, the following “10-Point Implementation Plan”.

These include:

  • Pursue a complete harmonisation of the MP’s Benefits, Privileges and Status with the AU.
  • Enhancement of sitting allowances for MP’s, welfare and per diem remunerations during missions.  Working with the bureau and the secretariat, I will use my incomparable experience of AU systems to lobby for enhanced funding architecture for these issues.
  • Ensure the allocation of adequate financial resources for our Committee activities with an enhanced welfare package for optimal performance. Committees are the engines of the work of Parliament.
  • Lobby for enhanced incorporation and engagement of PAP MP’s in Election Observer Missions (EOM’s) and ensure that PAP MP’s, who are the pillars of Africa’s democracy, constitute up to 50 percent of the AU EOM delegation.
  • Institutionalise a staff review process that complements skills and expertise while ensuring job security, fairness and balance in staff regional distribution and functions.
  • Restore prudent management of resources at PAP and value for money by ensuring a harmonious working relationship with donor partners through robust implementation of remediation recommendations in audit reports.
  • Mainstream gender issues and ensure that affirmative guidelines on gender equity and inclusiveness are prioritised in the structures of the PAP.
  • Initiate a robust parliamentary programme on youth empowerment and institute policies that will harness the vast growing youth population in the continent.
  • Introduce an advocacy initiative meant to enhance poverty eradication programme in line with AU Agenda 2063 and SDG priorities that seek to promote value addition and Agricultural modernization across the continent; and lastly,
  • Pursue an expeditious ratification of the Malabo Protocol and work to ensure that PAP legislative mandate to create model law for the region is institutionalised.

Honourable Colleagues, for too long in our history, we’ve been divided across religious and linguistic lines. The PAP has long embarked on peace missions across the continent. As an institution that has championed peace across the continent, we should embrace the best examples of what we preach.  It’s time we come together and rebuild our institution to its enviable position as the pillar of Africa’s democracy.

The Pan-African Parliament requires an enhanced institutional architecture for it to be affective in responding to the contemporary challenges and imperatives confronting Africa. For two years and partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bureau, Permanent Committees and the Plenary Assembly have not been functionally responsive to the contemporary challenges facing the continent.

There is thus need to re-align the priorities of the Bureau as the organ responsible for the administration and management of the affairs of the parliament so to create a conducive environment for addressing issues affecting the Parliament, MPs, Staff of parliament, organization, finances and relations with external stakeholders.

I commit to work with the Bureau, Members of Parliament and the Secretariat to address the challenges confronting both the continent and the Parliament. The key will be Teamwork as it is only through unity of purpose, oneness and mutually symbiotic relationships with the other organs and institutions of the African Union that we can achieve more as a continental legislative body.

Thank you and together we can achieve the Africa we want.

ONE AFRICA! ONE VOICE!!

 

 

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey