The President of the
Pan-African Parliament (PAP) H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira has
called for upgrading the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary
Forum (SADC-PF) into a fully-fledged regional parliament—arguing that stronger
parliamentary layers will fortify, not erode, state authority and citizen
trust.
Chief Charumbira stated this on Monday at the official opening of
the 57th Plenary Assembly of the SADC-PF at Victoria Falls,
Zimbabwe.
A Parliament to
Complement, Not Compete
Acknowledging
long-standing hesitation in some SADC capitals—heightened by memories of the
defunct SADC Tribunal—Charumbira insisted that a regional
parliament “does not give the institution full legislative powers but allows it
to develop Model Laws” that benchmark national reforms without imposing legal
obligations.
“Far from being an
adversary, a regional Parliament is … complementary to Member States,” he
declared, noting that the SADC PF’s Model Law on Eradicating Child Marriage and
PAP’s own suite of continental model laws on labour migration, citizenship and
gender equality have already proved their value as voluntary standards.
By framing model
legislation as a cooperative, demand-driven tool, Charumbira sought
to allay fears of sovereignty dilution. He pointed to tangible progress since
SADC Heads of State adopted the 2022 Kinshasa amendment to create a SADC
Parliament—now signed by 13 of 16 member states—as evidence that governments
are warming to the idea when practical benefits are clear.
Charumbira also promised closer technical
collaboration: PAP’s Committee on Trade will soon hold consultations in Nairobi
on a Model Law on Labour Migration, and future rounds, he suggested, should
“ride on SADC networks” so Southern African voices shape continent-wide norms
from the outset.
Parliaments as Guardians
of Responsiveness
Turning to citizen
expectations, Charumbira warned that the health of African
democracies hinges less on abstract “democracy indicators” and more on whether
institutions listen and react. Research, he said, shows “effective interactions
between citizens and governance institutions are more relevant to levels of
peacefulness than other indicators such as democracy.”
Legislatures—national,
regional and continental—sit at the fulcrum of that relationship. If elected
representatives fail to ensure that budgets, programmes and treaties address
“the priorities of SADC citizens,” insecurity and instability will fill the
void. “We must be responsive, accountable to and capable of engaging with
citizens,” Charumbira cautioned, framing regional parliaments
as a vital feedback loop between grassroots communities and supranational
decision-makers.
Why the Message Matters
Now
1. Completing
the SADC Institutional Architecture. Unlike ECOWAS, EALA or CEMAC,
SADC still lacks a regional legislature. Charumbira’s appeal places
renewed pressure on the three remaining signatories—and on national assemblies
that must ratify the treaty—before the next SADC Summit.
2. Re-anchoring
PAP after its 2023-24 turbulence. By showcasing PAP’s model-law
pipeline and its willingness to “twin up” committees with the SADC PF, Charumbira signaled
that the continental body has moved past last year’s leadership crisis and is
ready to serve as a technical resource rather than a political rival.
3. Navigating
the Post-Tribunal Hangover. The 2012 suspension of the SADC Tribunal
left many governments wary of regional adjudicatory bodies. By stressing that a
parliament’s powers are advisory and harmonizing—distinct from binding judicial
authority—Charumbira sought to disentangle the two and restore
confidence in supranational oversight.
Reactions from the Floor
Several speakers
welcomed Charumbira’s assurances. Madagascar’s Speaker Justin
Tokely, chairing his first plenary as SADC-PF President, called the remarks
“a blueprint for responsible empowerment.” Zimbabwe’s Speaker Advocate
Jacob Mudenda—praised by Charumbira as one of the “giants”
who supported his re-election—urged colleagues to accelerate ratification so
that the new SADC Parliament can be inaugurated during Zimbabwe’s chairmanship.
Charumbira closed by invoking PAP’s motto “One
Africa, One Voice,” pledging deeper joint committee work and inviting SADC
Parliamentarians to PAP’s next plenary. The message to delegates was
unmistakable: regional and continental parliaments are strategic allies.
Empower them, Charumbira argued, and southern Africa will gain
a stronger hand in shaping Africa-wide norms—while giving citizens clearer,
closer channels to demand results. Neglect them, and the credibility gap
between rulers and ruled could widen at a dangerous cost.
With that charge, the 57th Plenary
Assembly opened under a clear theme: regional and continental parliaments are
not competing chess pieces but interlocking gears in Africa’s integration
machine. The sooner the SADC PF completes its metamorphosis into a full
regional parliament, the sooner citizens will feel the democratic dividends
promised in Victoria Falls.
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