AU to establish 275-member house with MPs from outside existing parliaments

Delegates attending the 50th African Union Anniversary Summit in Addis Ababa on May 25, 2013. The AU is now finalising plans to establish a 275-member continental parliament whose membership will be drawn from outside the existing national assemblies. AFP FILE PHOTO | SIMON MAINA

What you need to know:

  • Over 100 legislators are meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss the legal instruments for creating the rebranded Pan-African Parliament (PAP).
  • Busia Senator Amos Wako is leading the Kenyan delegation that includes Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot, Nairobi County Women Representative Rachel Shebesh and nominated Senator Janet Ongera to the Addis Ababa conference.

The African Union is now finalising plans to establish a 275-member continental parliament whose membership will be drawn from outside the existing national assemblies.

The current sitting pan-African MPs nominated by their national assemblies and senates will be replaced by independently elected members from outside the existing parliaments.

Over 100 legislators are meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to discuss the legal instruments for creating the rebranded Pan-African Parliament (PAP).

Busia Senator Amos Wako is leading the Kenyan delegation that includes Kuresoi MP Zakayo Cheruiyot, Nairobi County Woman Representative Rachel Shebesh and nominated Senator Janet Ongera.

The leaders are deliberating on the proposed protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union relating to the Pan-African Parliament, the African charter on democracy, elections and governance.

TERROR THREATS

The conference is also discussing the security situation in the East African region, much of which has been under terror threats from the militant Al-Shaabab group based in Somalia.

Mr Zwalethu Madasa, the clerk of the Pan-African Parliament, said establishing an independent legislature for the continent will enhance and support the operations of the AU.

"This is a very important step in strengthening the AU operations in the continent. The feeling is that we should have a dedicated assembly focused only on continental issues," Mr Madasa said.

Ms Ongera, speaking at the conference, said the proposal to elect the PAP parliament from outside the existing national assemblies may face resistance from member states.

"The proposal to elect pan-African legislators from outside the existing parliaments may not go down well with current sitting MPs.

“This will also weaken PAP as those elected from (outside the national assemblies) will still need national legislators from time to time," she said.

PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCES

Each of the member states will be allowed to nominate five legislators while the leadership of PAP`s bureau, to be based in South Africa, will be rotational across Africa`s five regions.

On payment of allowances to members, the proposed AU protocol states: "The Pan-African parliamentarians shall be paid allowances by their respective state parties."

It further states that the PAP president and the four vice-presidents drawn from the four other regions on the continent will also be paid salaries and allowances by their respective countries.

But several MPs at the conference, including the Kenyan representatives, rooted for allowances paid directly by the continental legislature.

"It is important that the PAP pays the allowances for members so as to have uniformity. At the moment, various states pay differently, which doesn’t look good," said Ms Shebesh.

LACK OF FUNDING

But the PAP officials at the conference maintained that each state would continue to take responsibility for their members even under the new dispensation due to lack of funding for hefty allowances at the continental legislature.

The legislature will be responsible for implementing the policies of the AU, promoting democracy in the region, and encouraging good governance and respect for the rule of law and promoting peace, security and stability.

The protocol, however, does not give the necessary oversight authority to the legislature.

On Friday, several MPs attending the conference demanded sweeping checking rights for the rebranded organ.