Hon. Yeremia Chihana
The Southern Regional
Caucus met in Midrand from the 13 to 17 September 2021,to deliberate on the
events of the previous session of May-June 2021,and to also prepare for the
coming session in November 2021.
The caucus want to
place it on record that the invitation letter written by the Parliament of
Zimbabwe convening this meeting was the initiative of the Regional due to the
vacant position of the Secretariat.
This meeting was
convened in accordance to the Rules of the PAP, specifically Rule 83,84 and 85.
It is therefore malicious for those who spread rumours about the objective of
the meeting, as to stage coup in the PAP and hold it at ransom.
Out of the 10 countries
in the region, 8 were present in the meeting. Only 2, namely Lesotho and
Angola, were absent.
The PAP seat is located
in South Africa and therefore it is incumbent upon the Southern Africa region
to ensure that we do not have the May-June situation happening again.
Our people have high
hopes for the PAP as a continental Parliament to serve as a beacon of democracy
in Africa.
That Parliament is a
very important institution to exercise checks and balances in the Executive and
provide a voice for the voiceless.
That Parliament plays
an important role in setting the tone for the public discourse on the
Continent.
It is this task that
propelled us as the Regional Leadership to come together so as to ensure that
we do what our people expect from us.
The region among other
things seeks to ensure that it brings to end the terrorism that is taking place
in Mozambique, Cabo Delgado Province.
Pledged its solidarity
with the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo, following the eruption of
the deadly Volcano, Nyiragongo in the Northern City of Goma in the North Kivv
Province.
The Region also seeks
to use the November session to call for the waiver of specific trade related
aspects of Intellectual Property rights relating to the manufacturing of
COVID-19 Vaccines and related drugs.
It is therefore
malicious that the region is meeting because it is planning a takeover of the
PAP.
The meeting further
resolved that the November session will be held in Midrand, South Africa as
normal.
That the issue of
rotation of the Presidency of the PAP cannot be viewed outside the establishment
of the AU.
The Constitutive Act in
Article 6 as amended by the Protocol on Amendments to the constitutive Act of
the African Union, adopted by the Extra-ordinary session in Maputo on the 11th
July 2003 clearly provides that the Chairpersonship of the Assembly shall be
held by the Head of State elected at the beginning of each Ordinary session on
the basis of rotation for a renewable period of one year.
As a result of the
above, the Assembly has practiced the principle of rotation consistently.
The refusal to
implement the principle of rotation is adirect contradiction with the AU.
The region confirmed
their unwavering support to their Regional candidate Chief Charumbira and that
it will work with all delegates to ensure that the elections run smoothly.
The region has also
resolved that to guarantee the Smooth running of the November session, it will
embark on a process of consultative meetings with all the regions of the Pan
African Parliament, the AU and SADC Executive and Parliaments.
Different task teams of
MPs were assigned to engage with different organs of the AU and Parliaments of
the continent.
The next PAP session
must be preoccupied with challenges of unemployment, under-development,poverty
and peace, and fight diseases.
PAP must develop a clear
plan of oversight role on member States so as to defend the democratic gain s
the continent is making.
The unity of Africa as
a continent is sacrosanct and it cannot be sacrificed by anyone.
Hon.
Yeremia Chihana
Chair
Southern Regional Caucus
+265 9950 50471
Enquiries:
Prof. Mathole Motshekgo 0718688589
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