Harare, (New Ziana) –Pan-African Parliament (PAP) president Chief Fortune Charumbira on Tuesday led a delegation that met Kenyan President William Ruto who is also chairperson of the African Union (AU) Institutional Reforms.
The pivotal meeting, which took place at the State House in Nairobi, discussed the pressing need for reforms within the AU and to define the PAP’s essential role in the transformative agenda. In his remarks, Charumbira pointed out that African leaders had recognized the pressing need for reform as early as 2016.
“The AU must improve its operational efficiency and ensure better service delivery to meet the expectations of a skeptical African citizenry. The Pan-African Parliament can play a pivotal role in addressing these weaknesses by bridging the gap between the AU and African citizens, ensuring transparency, accountability, and engagement with the people it serves,” he said.
The discussions centred on the institutional weaknesses plaguing the AU, including a fragmented approach to key issues, insufficient coordination with Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and a glaring lack of oversight and accountability, all of which contribute to inefficiencies in service delivery.
President Ruto acknowledged the dysfunction within the AU and reaffirmed his commitment to a robust reform process. He underscored the critical role the Pan-African Parliament can play in bridging the gap between the AU and African citizens, emphasizing the need for enhanced oversight of all AU organs, including financial management.
“The AU can no longer afford to operate in silos, disconnected from the people,” he said. “The Pan-African Parliament must ensure that African citizens’ voices are amplified, and that AU resources are managed with utmost efficiency.”
Both leaders stressed that any reform initiative should bolster, rather than undermine, the position of the Pan-African Parliament as the representative voice of the African populace. They also concurred that a strengthened PAP would be instrumental in creating a more dynamic and responsive Union.
The PAP delegation included 3rd Vice President Lucia Dos Passos, chairperson of the Western Caucus Alhagie Mbow, chairperson of the Rules, Discipline and Privilleges Committee Steve Mikaya, as well Kenyan PAP members Danson Mungatana, Rahab Mukami, and Majimbo Kalasinga.
New Ziana