The Pan African Parliament (PAP) will resume its election of bureau officials in November, five months after chaos inside the house forced the suspension of the process, PAP’s clerk of the assembly Vipya Harawa has announced.
Harawa said the elections slated for the end of November in Midrand would be subject to the approval of the African Union (AU) and South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation, as well as the availability of funds to carry out the exercise.
In June this year, the elections were suspended following a physical scuffle after a disagreement over voting modalities.
Chaos erupts at Pan African Parliament for a second day
Heightened tension over the procedure for the election of the Pan African Parliament’s president led to a physical fight inside the house. This after the 235 representatives failed to agree on how to vote for the President.
While the Southern and Northern African regions favoured a rotational method, the West and East African regions who have previously led the Parliament wanted a voting system.
For three consecutive days, Africans watched as verbal altercations turned into fistfights forcing the indefinite suspension of sittings.
The clerk of the Midrand-based assembly says members are ready to resume that session to conclude the elections.
Harawa has asked for a meeting with Dirco to iron out modalities of that vote even as it awaits a nod from the AU.
The legislative body brings together legislators to implement AU policy.
Pan African Parliament chaos: Sophie Mokoena updates
