Five Ugandan MPs sworn-in to Pan-African Parliament

Oct 03, 2011

FIVE Ugandan MPs have been sworn-in as new members of the Pan-African Parliament based in South Africa.

FIVE Ugandan MPs have been sworn-in as new members of the Pan-African Parliament based in South Africa.

The Pan-African Parliament is the legislative arm of the African Union (AU), which comprises elected members of Parliament from African states.

The five MPs include Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Ogwal representing the opposition; Kibanda County MP, Sam Otada (independent), and NRM legislators Beatrice Rusaniya (Woman MP Kiruhura), Sarah Kataike (Woman MP Budaka) and Onyango Kakoba (Buikwe North).

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the opening of the Fifth Ordinary Session of the Pan-African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa.

A total of 38 new MPs from several African countries were sworn-in to the Parliament which is currently in its seventh year of existence. The Parliament, however, lacks legislative powers such as those wielded by national parliaments.
Each member country is required to send five MPs to the Parliament, with special consideration the proportional party membership in the house. The House is also required to take into consideration the numerical strength of the parties, gender and interests of the independent members of Parliament.
In Uganda, the NRM party was granted three seats while the opposition and independents each sent one representative. Some MPs initially objected to a list of NRM members earlier approved to join the Pan African Parliament. Ogwal and Otada were unanimously approved on July 21 by the House.

Addressing a press conference shortly after the opening session, the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Dr Mousa Idriss Ndele said under a new protocol, the Parliament would have oversight powers.

The new proposals also provide for an equal number of male and female MPs to the House, as opposed to the current arrangement which requires one of the five MPs to be a woman.

The proposals will, however, have to be consented to by the Assembly of States, the supreme decision making body of the AU that comprises heads of states of the 52 member countries. ENDS

 

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