Five Members of Parliament have been sworn in to join the Pan African Parliament representing Uganda at the continental institution based in Midrand, South Africa.
The Pan African Parliament is the legislative arm of the African Union comprising Members from National Parliaments of African Union Member States.
Uganda’s representatives traveled to South Africa only days after their own swearing in to the 11th Parliament held last week and just after the 1st Sitting of the 11th Parliament.
The five positions to the Pan African Parliament are shared out among the majority party (NRM) taking three, while independents and the official opposition, National Unity Platform (NUP) take one seat each.
Ugandan’s Members include Mawogola West MP Anifa Bangirana Kawooya, Dokolo South MP Felix Okot Ogong, Ngora MP Juliet Achayo Lodou for the NR, Buyaga independent MP Eric Musana and Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba Oshabe for the National Unity Platform.
Achayo said that the creation of the continental Parliament is based on the ideology of Pan Africanism which encourages the solidarity of Africans worldwide.
The Members swore in at the start of the ongoing 4th Ordinary Session of the 5th Pan African Parliament, presided over by Acting. President, Chief Fortune Charumbira.
The physical Session being held 21 May – 4 June 2021 under the AU theme for 2021: “Year of the Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa We Want’’ is the first physical meeting being held since early last year due to the outbreak and effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I am glad that we are back to operations and business following the challenges of the pandemic Covid-19 which collapsed the world,” said Hon. Charumbira.
The opening ceremony held earlier this week on Monday was addressed by Ghanaian President, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who stressed the need for National Parliaments to develop capacity to insist on accountability in all aspects of people’s lives especially in governance”.
