PAP wants permanent members

term among some sweeping changes the continental body will deliberate when it meets in South Africa next week.
PAP deputy president Cde Joram Gumbo said the body would also push for transformation of the parliamentary body from its current advisory role to that of a legislative entity. This will give it power to enact binding decisions to all member states.
In an interview yesterday, Cde Gumbo said the deliberations would form part of recommendations that would be submitted to the African Union summit to be held in July this year. Cde Gumbo is the Zanu-PF Chief Whip. He said currently, one becomes a member of a PAP by virtue of him being a legislator from his or her country and loses the continental seat once he ceases to be a backbencher.
“This is creating continuity and think tank problems because each time we meet we will have to swear in new members from those countries that would have held elections,” said Cde Gumbo.
“If one loses elections in his country or when he becomes a Minister he is replaced, bringing in a new person. We need to have permanent members who are elected by whatever method for a limited term. This will allow continuity unlike the present situation where we continuously have new members.”
The continental body, Cde Gumbo said, would also deliberate on its transformation from its advisory role to a legislative assembly with limited powers binding on member states.
“If you look at ECOWAS and EALA (East African Legislative Assembly) they have their own Parliaments and they make laws that bind member states in those regions,” he said.
Some of the areas PAP wants to legislate include climate change, immigration and trade, among others.
“PAP is proposing that we should have selected or limited powers of jurisdiction. We don’t believe that PAP now is ready to legislate Africa because there is no executive, we do not have an African president,” said Cde Gumbo.
Other MPs representing Zimbabwe at the PAP session are Chiefs Council president Fortune Charumbira, Bikita Senator Kokerai Rugara (MDC-T), Kadoma MP, Mrs Editor Matamisa (MDC-T) and Tsholotsho South MP, Mr Maxwell Dube (MDC).