Story by John Nhandara
THE Pan African Parliament (PAP) has signed a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with three prominent regional institutions, reinforcing its commitment to democracy, governance, human rights, and the fight against corruption across the continent.
The MoUs were formalised on the sidelines of the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Sixth Legislature of PAP, currently underway in Midrand, South Africa.
One of the key agreements was signed between PAP president, Chief Fortune Charumbira, and Afrobarometer, a pan-African research network known for its public opinion surveys on democracy, governance, and socio-economic conditions.
“We seek to project the voices of African voices in influencing public policy on the continent. The MOU will help to get the voices of the ordinary people to the work that the honourable members are doing so that these voices can be projected at the continental parliamentary level. This MOU marks a significant milestone in bridging research with policy, voice with vision, and statistics with strategy,” Director of Surveys, Afrobarometer, Dr Boniface Dulani said.
The Southern African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (SAPNAC) also inked a MoU with PAP to scale up efforts in tackling corruption and reinforcing transparency and accountability in African governance systems.
“The MoU is in the interest of the people, and it is a well-established institution that houses MPs who represent people. As such, the fight against corruption involves everyone and affects everyone, so it is the duty of parliamentarians to ensure we curb it and we work together,” Chairperson, SAPNAC, Mr Themba Mliswa said.
The African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) expressed optimism, highlighting the milestone as long-awaited progress.
“This is a great milestone, drawing from the last general meeting we held in 2022, which resulted in forming regional blocks. Signing this is. A great signal because we have been looking for this since 2018,” Executive Director, APNAC Africa, Fifousi Fabrice said.
The third agreement was signed with the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI), represented by its Chairperson, Advocate Joseph Whittal, aimed at promoting parliamentary engagement in protecting and advancing human rights.
PAP President Chief Fortune Charumbira praised the partnerships, noting they would amplify the voice of African citizens and enhance institutional synergy across the continent.
“Any institution that works for the good of the people should be connected to the people. We are a strong institution on the continent. We should be a platform for citizen participation for this continent so that they can make an input and impact on economic development. Our functions speak to development, human rights, deepening democracy, and even integration of the continent,” he said.
These latest collaborations build upon last week’s signing of another MoU between PAP and the African Union’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), underscoring PAP’s strategic focus on strengthening governance and promoting the rule of law across Africa.
The agreements are expected to result in joint programming, capacity building, data-driven policymaking, and enhanced oversight roles for African parliamentarians in advancing democracy and inclusive development.
