Newly-elected Pan African Parliament President, Fortune Charumbira, has appealed to African leaders to use resources at their disposal to deal with the myriad of challenges the continent is facing.
Charumbira was elected unopposed as Malawian candidate Yeremiah Chihana’s nomination was cancelled because it did not follow the AU’s protocol.
He says Africa has the potential to generate its wealth without depending on other continents.
Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira @PapPresident takes his oath of office as he becomes the President of the 6th Parliament of @AfrikParliament. #PanAfricanParliament pic.twitter.com/0jmXHioyLp
— PanAfricanParliament (@AfrikParliament) June 29, 2022
“I want us to come together; we need to immediately fight and destroy the divisions caused by these foreign languages in Africa imposed on us by outside continents and resulted in us identifying one another as Anglophones, Francophones and Lusophones,” PAP Pres. Chief Charumbira
— KhayelihleKhumalo-James Jnr (@KhayaJames) June 29, 2022
I am a President for everyone despite how you voted, it is high time we put our African people forward and do away with unnecessary conflicts. Together we can achieve more, we will only develop our continent when united and this is an essential thing for our people-Charumbira
— KhayelihleKhumalo-James Jnr (@KhayaJames) June 29, 2022
Newly elected Pan African Parliament President Chief Fortune Charumbira has praised AU Commission chair @AUC_MoussaFaki for restoring order at the PAP, he says sometimes things were acrimonious here and Faki brought order. They wont forget him. #sabcnews #PAP2022
— KhayelihleKhumalo-James Jnr (@KhayaJames) June 29, 2022
Pan African Parliament President, Fortune Charumbira’s full speech:
Pan African Parliament member, Julius Malema who is part of the South African region caucus says the newly-elected PAP president must focus on strengthening the institution.
Charumbira is expected to push African countries to ratify a protocol that will give the Pan African Parliament oversight powers.
Malema says he has confidence in Charumbira.
#sabcnews EFF leader and PAP member Julius Malema says the SADC bloc backs Fortune Charumbira as Pan African Parliament President based on his experience. He says EU can withdraw its funds from the institution if they are not happy. #PanAfricanParliament pic.twitter.com/NCG6pIxZdG
— KhayelihleKhumalo-James Jnr (@KhayaJames) June 29, 2022
Last year, the Parliament could not elect new leadership after the proceedings descended into chaos when MPs differed on the principle of rotation in the five regions.
African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat says it is time for the Pan African Parliament (PAP) to clean up its battered image.
