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George Maponga in MIDRAND, South Africa
Pan-African Parliament president Senator Chief Fortune Charumbira has challenged the parliament to seek solutions to challenges hindering socio-economic growth in Africa.
Addressing the joint meeting of the bureau of the PAP, bureaux of the permanent committees, regional caucuses, women and youth caucus at the continental body in Midrand, South Africa, yesterday ahead of the official opening of the First Ordinary Session of the 6th Parliament, Chief Charumbira outlined the host of challenges slowing development in Africa.
He threw down the gauntlet to the bureau of the PAP and bureaux of the permanent committees to steer the continental body towards a new epoch for Africa where previously marginalised groups get a lift up while Africa’s challenges were tackled head on.
“In PAP there is no room for hatred, division and those who want to destroy. We want a PAP that is united as one PAP and one Africa,” said Chief Charumbira.
“We are at PAP to achieve a better life for Africans. Africa has not done very well. PAP has not done very well. Our challenge as committees (of PAP) today is how we can make Africa better for all its people.”
PAP’s 11 committees had to locate challenges stalling development and progress on the continent with Chief Charumbira saying Africans expected PAP to come up with solutions to nagging problems.
“Women and youths across this continent for example have issues. What are we doing as PAP leaders to address them? We have expectations of the citizens of Africa with regards to the committees and what are we doing about that?”
Regional caucuses should highlight and confront challenges afflicting development in their jurisdictions and then bring them to the attention of PAP to clear the path for resolution to make the whole continent a better place for all.
The PAP bureau and bureaux of permanent committees, added Senator Charumbira, were also supposed to plan the business of parliament to make sure the organisation answered the aspirations of Africans.
The PAP president announced plans for a strategic retreat at the end of the forthcoming session to plan and come up with programmes for next year.
Zanu PF proportional representation member of parliament and first vice president of the Youth caucus Cde Tatenda Mavetera said they will push for enactment of laws that improve the plight of marginalised groups such as women, youths and people living with disabilities.
The first Ordinary Session is being held under the theme,” Building resilience in nutrition on the African continent: Accelerate the human capital, social and economic development.”
So with the theme, Cde Mavetera said, PAP would be sending a delegation to make sure challenges around food security on the continent were amplified.
PAP could hold a women’s conference that will lay the foundation for pushing the enactment of legislation that promotes gender parity in all fields of endeavour in the continent.
Online Reporter