PAP Clerk Lindiwe Khumalo officially assumes duty

The newly sworn in Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), Mrs. Lindiwe Khumalo on Thursday, formally assumed her duties as Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament. The oath of office was administered by the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira during a ceremony held at the Parliament’s headquarters in Midrand, South Africa

Mrs. Khumalo becomes the first woman to head the Secretariat of the Continental Parliament since the institution’s establishment in 2004. Her appointment, in accordance with Rule 17(f) of the Rules of Procedure, was on 01 June 2023 approved by the Plenary which is the highest decision-making organ of the Parliament. Her emergence followed a competitive process to fill the position that had remained vacant for over a year.

Mrs. Khumalo will be responsible for providing leadership in the management of the Pan-African Parliament’s corporate services, finances, and general administrative requirements ensuring that Parliament’s internal day-to-day operations run smoothly. She will also oversee the practical implementation of the Bureau’s commitment to “revive, renew, reposition and reinvigorate” the Pan-African Parliament, and make it fit for purpose to serve the African citizenry.

Prior to joining the Pan-African Parliament as Clerk, Lindiwe Khumalo served as the Acting Executive Secretary to the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) based in Banjul, the Gambia. She was recently hailed for brilliantly steering the Secretariat to position the Commission as the premier Human Rights body in Africa.

Other Notable executive positions held by Mrs. Khumalo include serving as Chief Operations Officer, and thereafter Chief Executive Officer of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Her Advisory positions include serving as Technical Advisor to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).