The highly contested presidency of the Pan African Parliament continues to be a source of concern by members of the body.
The term of office for the current president, Roger Nkodo Dang of Cameroon is coming to an end soon. And members from the SADEC and North Africa are now calling for a rotation of the presidency to avoid another Francophone member taking over.
Since the establishment of the African Union legislative body in 2004, its presidency has never seen SADEC and North Africa at its helm.
Members from the block now want to see change. They wish to see a rotation of one term, a proposal vehemently opposed by the French speaking MPs.
Tensions rise every time the matter is brought for debate.
The body’s president says though the rotation is not a bad thing, it’s not part of the rules of the Pan African Parliament.
The Parliament was established to promote democracy in the continent. But, this role remains the prerogative of the African Union, which supervises elections in Africa.
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– By Montlenyane Diphoko
