Adv Mudenda-led delegation meets President Masisi

A DELEGATION of SADC Speakers of Parliament led by Advocate Jacob Mudenda of Zimbabwe met Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi in Gaborone on Tuesday over the need to set up a SADC Parliament.

The delegation included Speakers of Parliament from Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Angola.

It outlined before President Masisi the significance of establishing the SADC Parliament as a key regional institution to enhance regional integration through multifaceted Parliamentary processes and shared best practices.

At the moment the regional parliamentary caucus is guided by the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF).

In a statement after the meeting, the Parliament of Zimbabwe said President Masisi committed to support the move.

“President Masisi pledged to sign the agreement amending the SADC Treaty to establish a SADC Parliament, making this lobbying mission a highly successful one.

“This milestone achievement, after a decade of concerted efforts, significantly advances the region’s multifaceted integration agenda,” reads the statement.

“The lobby team expressed deep gratitude to His Excellency, President Masisi, for his commitment to regional integration and further expressed gratitude for Hon (Phandu) Skelemani, Botswana Speaker of Parliament for his vigorous efforts in driving the Republic of Botswana towards signing the agreement.

“This day marked a great achievement for the lobbying effort, with the team being indebted to President Masisi’s kind gesture of inviting them to Botswana to express his unfettered commitment to signing the agreement to amend the Treaty to Transform SADC PF into a SADC Parliament after the constructive deliberations with the lobbying team.”

Lobbying before President Masisi, Adv Mudenda said the SADC Parliament will complement the Pan-African Parliament and is considered a missing link as there are four other continental parliamentary groupings.

He said this will also complement the processes of SADC chaired by President Mnangagwa for industrialisation of the region.

Adv Mudenda said the transformation of the SADC Parliamentary Forum to the SADC Parliament is grounded on the need to ‘increase linkages between SADC organs with the Regional Parliament having a deliberative Parliamentary role, among other regional responsibilities.’

“We plead with you, Your Excellency, to sign the Agreement to establish a regional Parliament, which will serve as a pivotal pillar in advancing SADC’s regional multifaceted integration, particularly in alignment with the SADC Summit’s current focus on industrialisation. This will enable us to march together as a united region for the common good of Parliamentary democracy and the developmental aspirations of the SADC citizenry,” he said.

Adv Mudenda said the proposed SADC Parliament will not come with any financial or legal implications as this is catered for under the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

“The annual subscriptions of Member States, which constitute the core revenue of the organisation will not be raised as a result of the transformation process. Also of note is that in terms of governance, the SADC Forum has always been given a clean bill on audits, both internally and externally,” he said.

Adv Mudenda said 12 countries from the 16 SADC states were in support of the establishment of the regional Parliament.

“Accordingly, allow me to update Your Excellency, that there is currently a momentum to sign the agreement amending the SADC Treaty to recognise the SADC Parliament with Mauritius and Madagascar having in principle committed to depositing their signatures after the 44th SADC Summit,” he said.

“We are in consultation with the Comoros, who are not yet a member of the SADC PF, but through the Indian Ocean grouping, have indicated willingness to sign in solidarity with all Member States that are bound by the SADC Treaty.

“To that extent, the lobby team is happy that 12 Member States have now signed the agreement to amend the SADC Treaty, which is now in force. Accordingly, and in the spirit of inclusivity, it now behoves Botswana to sign as the headquarters of SADC to which the Regional Parliament will be part of its organ once the amended SADC Treaty has been acceded to by Member States.”

In response, President Masisi was quoted in the Botswana media saying he hoped that the Regional Parliament would be of benefit to communities.

“I have taken note of the advances the team has made in getting the required signatories, thus I am very hopeful that the proposed transformation would be beneficial to both Botswana and the entire region,” said President Masisi. — @nqotshili