Chief Charumbira Calls for Credible Elections as the True Expression of the People’s Will

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, has called on African leaders and citizens to safeguard the integrity of elections as the ultimate expression of the people’s will. He made the call while delivering opening remarks at the Election Observation Training Programme for Members of the Pan-African Parliament, held at Pretoria, South Africa.

The two-day programme, organized in partnership with the African Union Commission’s Democracy and Elections Unit, aimed to strengthen the capacity of PAP Members to participate effectively in African Union Election Observation Missions (AUEOMs).

“Elections Must Reflect the People’s Will”

Chief Charumbira opened his address with a candid reflection on the state of democracy across Africa, noting that elections though frequent, do not always deliver genuine legitimacy.

“Almost everyone today wants to be a leader: councillor, MP, president. But leadership must come from the people’s consent, not coercion,” he said. “We must ask ourselves: are elections in Africa truly expressing the will of the people, or the will of the military, or those with power?”

Drawing from recent examples, he cited Gabon, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso: countries where elected governments were overthrown soon after elections. He lamented that in many of these cases, citizens celebrated coups, raising the fundamental question of legitimacy.

“If the same people who elect a government celebrate when it is removed by force, we must question what kind of legitimacy our elections produce,” he cautioned.

A Call for Deeper Credibility and Public Trust

Chief Charumbira emphasized that credible elections must yield results that citizens are willing to defend, even against military interference.

“True democracy exists when people are prepared to defend those they have elected. The outcome must generate permanent acceptance and legitimacy, not fleeting approval,” he said.

He urged participants to use the training to interrogate Africa’s electoral processes: not only to learn from facilitators but also to share experiences as elected representatives who have themselves faced the test of the ballot box.

“This is not just a training; it is an exchange between practitioners. Our Members have been through elections. They understand the process from the inside,” he explained.

Reaffirming PAP’s Mandate on Democracy and Elections

Chief Charumbira reminded participants that the Pan-African Parliament’s mandate under its founding Protocol includes promoting human rights, democracy, good governance, and rule of law across Member States.

“The issue of elections is part of our mandate: it is in the Protocol. One of PAP’s core functions is to promote human and people’s rights, consolidate democratic institutions, and entrench good governance and transparency,” he affirmed.

He therefore cautioned that the African Union Commission (AUC) must respect PAP’s institutional role in election observation.

“Please, don’t take away our mandate. It is in black and white that 40% of every election observation mission should be made up of Pan-African Parliamentarians,” he reminded.

Chief Charumbira noted with concern that PAP’s representation in AU election missions had often been reduced to symbolic levels, sometimes below 10%.

“Elections are better observed by those who have stood for election themselves,” he argued. “It is inappropriate for people who have never contested even a church election to supervise MPs.”

Respect, Protocol, and Institutional Dignity

The PAP President also raised concerns about protocol and respect during joint AU election missions, decrying instances where junior AU officials attempted to issue directives to elected MPs.

“Sometimes a cashier or officer from the Commission tries to command an MP. That is unacceptable,” he said. “Staff are there to support, not undermine, elected representatives.”

He urged for renewed mutual respect and institutional harmony between the PAP and AU Commission teams to ensure the credibility of future observation missions.

Beyond Observation: A Commitment to Democratic Renewal

Chief Charumbira concluded by challenging participants to look beyond procedural observation and focus on building democratic resilience across the continent.

“The task before us is not only to monitor elections but to strengthen democracy itself,” he said. “Our work must ensure that electoral outcomes truly represent the people’s will: outcomes that citizens will defend, not celebrate when overturned.”

The session ended with applause from Members, reaffirming PAP’s determination to play a leading role in promoting credible elections and consolidating democracy across Africa.

About the Programme

The PAP Election Observation Training Programme equips Members of Parliament with the legal, technical, and ethical tools required to assess electoral processes in line with continental standards such as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG) and the AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections in Africa.

It also seeks to harmonize approaches among AU organs, regional economic communities, and national parliaments in ensuring that election observation contributes meaningfully to peace, stability, and democratic accountability on the continent.