Hon. Jacqueline Amongin (NRM, Ngora), also the Leader of the PAP delegation; Prof. Ogenga Latigo (FDC, Agago North); Hon. Anifa Bangirana Kawooya (NRM, Sembabule); Hon. Felix Okot Ogong (NRM, Dokolo South) and Hon. Babirye Kadogo (Ind. Buyende) who were sworn in as the new members of the Pan African Parliament.

The members who were sworn in include Hon. Jacqueline Amongin (NRM, Ngora), also the Leader of the PAP delegation; Prof. Ogenga Latigo (FDC, Agago North); Hon. Anifa Bangirana Kawooya (NRM, Sembabule); Hon. Felix Okot Ogong (NRM, Dokolo South) and Hon. Babirye Kadogo (Ind. Buyende). Other new members sworn in were from the Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic, Niger, Mauritania and Zambia.

In their oath, the Members pledged to “…be faithful and bear true allegiance to the African Union…preserve, protect and defend the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the protocol of the Treaty…promote adherence to the principles of good governance, democracy and human rights, international humanitarian law, peace, stability and all objectives of the Pan African Parliament.”

The PAP is one of the organs of the African Union and comprises five members from each of the 54 African Parliaments. Established in March 2004, the legislature has its headquarters in Midrand, South Africa.

The objectives of the PAP are, among others, to promote peace, security and stability in the region; facilitate cooperation and development in Africa; promote human rights and democracy and to encourage good governance, transparency and accountability in member states.

In his welcome remarks to the new and returning Members, the PAP President, Hon. Roger Nkodo Dang, reiterated his call for the need for member states to sign and ratify the Malabo Protocol.

It was envisaged from the onset that PAP should have full legislative powers but as it stands now, the organ exercises only consultative and advisory powers. However, with the revised Malabo Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the African Union on the PAP, which was adopted by a decision of the AU Assembly in 2014, in Equatorial Guinea, there are plans to give the body full legislative functions with its Members elected from outside the membership of national parliaments.

Women representation improving

In a related event, the Secretary General of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), Mr. Martin Chungong, has said that Parliaments in the Arab world and in Africa are becoming more assertive and representative, in terms of women, minorities and youth.

“Africa is faring well, women representation accounts for 23% and 18% in Africa and the Arab world respectively,” he said adding; “We also want to see parliaments made of men and women who uphold integrity in their own right and in society.”

Mr Chungong was addressing PAP Members in a joint meeting of the PAP and the Arab Parliament, which was attended by the Speakers of the National Assembly of Egypt, the Arab Parliament, the PAP President and the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt.

He extended an invitation to the leadership of the PAP to take necessary steps to join the IPU.

The third Ordinary Session of the PAP is sitting from 10th – 19th October 2016 in Cairo, Egypt.

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President Yoweri Museveni interacts with his host President Omar Bashir shortly on arrival at Khartoum International Airport on Monday, October 10, 2016. PPU photo

President Museveni has congratulated the people of Sudan upon conclusion of a historic national dialogue that places the country on a new political path.

The President made the remarks yesterday at the National Friendship Hall in Khartoum, where he was among the four heads of state invited to witness the conclusion of the dialogue and signing of a historic pact.

The other heads of state present were Idriss Deby of Chad, Egypt’s Fatah Al-Sisi and Mohammed Abdul-Aziz of Mauritania.

“I came here to salute Bashir and the people of Sudan for after 60 years of trouble, sitting down in a national dialogue and finding out what the problem is,” said President Museveni.

“You have come to good consensus and I congratulate you on that achievement. It’s good for the political class in Sudan,” he added.

President Museveni said the African political class had been responsible for the continent’s many problems by lacking humility and putting identity at the forefront.

“I am this, I am that. I am an Arab, I am an African, I am a Muslim, I am a Christian, I am pagan. So what if you’re that?” said the President.

“Ask yourself the next question; how will you achieve prosperity? Will identity give you prosperity? Will it take your children to school, build a better house, defeat poverty?”

President Museveni said: “Identity is important but it’s not everything. You must also talk about prosperity.”

The President also revealed that the frosty relationship between Kampala and Khartoum was no more.

“I had not come to Sudan for a long time because we had misunderstandings. You know the story,” he said.

“But I linked up with some people who linked me to Field Marshal Bashir and we spoke. I came here a few months back and I am back.”

The political class in Sudan who attended the event.

Sudan’s unity and stability, the President said, directly impacts on Uganda’s prosperity.
“Uganda is losing opportunities by wars in the Sudan. You have heard us being called land-locked. We’re not land-locked,” he said.

“We have a highway called the Nile that leads us to the Mediterranean but it can’t be used because of problems in the Sudan. Uganda will do everything possible to support Sudan in peace-making.”

The national dialogue was held under motto “Sudan for All”.

Yesterday’s colourful meeting, punctuated with music and dance, was the climax of over a year-long activity sponsored by the African Union and the US government.

The dialogue brings together over 90 political parties and armed groups which signed the agreement yesterday.

It’s key tenets are respect of human rights, political accountability and transparency, unity even with ethnic diversity and empowering women.
Others are equal distribution of national income, free role of civil society, conserve the environment, create employment, well-balanced foreign policy, elections based on presidential system, among others.

On his part, President Bashir said the initiative will cause political stability based on good governance and democratic process.

“There’s no chance after this for violence to characterize our politics. This national document is for all Sudanese people, built on consensus and is open to other groups yet to sign to do so when they can,” he said.

Presidents Al-Sisi, Deby and Mohammed all congratulated Sudan on the historic move, each promising their countries’ support for the process.
Other delegates who addressed the dialogue were from China, Russia, Ethiopia and the Arab League.

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