The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Speaker of the Zimbabwean Parliament Jacob Francis Nzwidamililo Mudenda has appealed to Uganda for support in the coming Pan African Parliament (PAP) Presidency election.
The continental assembly is currently headed by Zimbabwe’s Chief Fortune Charumbira as acting President, after elections for a substantive President replacing Cameroon’s Roger Nkodo aborted in South Africa. This followed divisions within the body over the implementation of the rotation principle adopted by the African Union (AU) to ensure all regions in Africa get an opportunity to lead.
PAP presidency has in the past been dominated by Central and West Africa due to their numerical superiority. The Northern and Southern regions have never had a PAP president since the inception of the continental body. MPs from the regions successfully blocked the holding of an election in May arguing that there would be no election without adoption of the rotation principle.
Mudenda today led a delegation of nine members from Zimbabwe, for a courtesy visit to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, and MPs representing Uganda to the Pan African Parliament. Uganda’s PAP representatives include Dokolo South MP Felix Okot Ogong, Ngora County MP Juliet Achayo Lodou, Rukiga Woman MP Caroline Kamusiime, Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba Oshabe and Buyaga East MP Eric Musana.
Mudenda asked that the Parliament of Uganda joins them in the crusade for the selection of the PAP. he said that the Parliament of Zimbabwe and that of Uganda have in the past worked very closely supporting each other through different visits and that he is convinced that the Parliament of Uganda will stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the campaign.
“The candidate is Senator Chief Charumbira who has been endorsed the Southern Regional Caucus of PAP and other parliaments from East, a few Central members, Western as well as Northern. We come to Uganda because we believe we can work together as we have done in the past, in this particular crusade for the Presidency of PAP,” Mudenda said in part.
He added that the position of Uganda as a country and that of President Yoweri Museveni will assist Zimbabwe in persuading South Sudan not to step in the way and disregard the principle of rotation which has been accepted by the AU Commission.
Mudenda notes that the principle of rotation is part of the African Union international law and must be respected.
After the interface between Mudenda and Among, the Speaker of the Zimbabwe Parliament held a closed-door meeting with Uganda’s representatives to PAP regarding the campaign. Deputy Speaker Among said that they will do whatever they can to support Zimbabwe.
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