Charumbira Leads PAP Delegation in Key Talks with President Ruto on AU Reforms - AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

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Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Charumbira Leads PAP Delegation in Key Talks with President Ruto on AU Reforms

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira, on Tuesday, October 22, led a PAP delegation to meet with H.E. William Ruto, President of Kenya, in his capacity as Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Institutional Reforms. The discussion centered on the critical role of PAP in advancing the AU reform agenda and ensuring its efficiency.

In his address, Chief Charumbira raised concerns about the fragmented structure of the AU, citing challenges such as limited coordination between AU organs and Regional Economic Communities (RECs), insufficient oversight, and poor accountability, which have hindered the effectiveness of the AU's broader goals, including its Agenda 2063 vision. He emphasized the potential of PAP to play an instrumental role in addressing these gaps through enhanced oversight and citizen engagement. He argued that PAP, through its advisory and consultative powers, should be more actively involved in overseeing AU organs, including budgetary matters, to ensure the institution meets the needs of African citizens.

The institutional reforms, Charumbira noted, should aim to empower PAP, allowing it to act as the "people’s voice" in the AU, ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and responsiveness across the Union. This includes a more direct reporting structure between PAP and the AU Assembly, as well as clearer roles for its leadership structures, such as the PAP Bureau.

In response, President Ruto acknowledged the dysfunctionality of the AU and echoed Charumbira’s calls for meaningful reform. He committed to supporting PAP in its efforts to strengthen the AU’s connection with the African people, improve oversight mechanisms, and address the inefficiencies that currently plague the Union. Ruto emphasized the need for PAP’s role in scrutinizing the AU’s budget and operational activities, asserting that effective oversight is critical to achieving the goals of the reform agenda.

The PAP delegation, which included prominent officials such as Hon. Lucia Dos Passos (3rd Vice President), Hon. Alhagie Mbow (Chairperson of the Western Caucus), and Hon. Steve Mikaya (Chairperson of the Committee on Rules, Privileges and Discipline), along with members of Kenya’s own PAP delegation including Hon. Danson Mungatana, Hon. Rahab Mukami, and Hon. Majimbo Kalasinga., highlighted key issues such as the operationalization of PAP’s advisory role, budgetary constraints, and the importance of the PAP’s oversight functions as outlined in the Sirte Protocol. Chief Charumbira stressed that despite the limitations of the current Sirte Protocol, which gives PAP advisory rather than legislative powers, the Parliament is still fully empowered to conduct oversight, engage with civil society, and represent African citizens at the AU level​

 














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