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KAMPALA - The Speaker of the Parliament of Kenya Dr. Moses Wetang'ula has asked Parliaments of the commonwealth countries to put climate change on their order papers as an emergency issue.

Wetang'ula on Thursday, January 4, 2024, delivered a keynote address during a session of the 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC). The three-day event (3-6 January 2024) was hosted by Uganda’s Parliament at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala.

Wetang'ula’s topic was entitled: ‘Environment, climate change and the role of Parliament’. He highlighted the crucial role legislators play in prioritizing climate change as an emergency, ensuring the safeguarding of natural resources for a balanced ecosystem.

He urged his colleagues to recognize the legislative power they hold. He emphasised the need for Parliaments to align with the rapidly transforming world, embracing green competition for future growth and development.

He noted the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related shocks, posing challenges to poverty eradication in the continent. He used the platform to discuss the role of Parliaments in mitigating climate change.

He emphasized the vulnerability of Commonwealth countries particularly those in the global south to climate change effects. This is even though these countries contribute minimally to greenhouse gas emissions.

“Africa is unfairly impacted by climate change. Africa spends more than its fair share on adaptation efforts despite the continent's contribution of less than 4% of total greenhouse gas emissions,” Wetang'ula noted.

Advocating for Parliament's leadership in addressing global challenges, he urged speakers and presiding officers of the commonwealth countries to set policy directions, translate global outcomes into domestic legislation, raise awareness, and hold the executive accountable.

He called upon Commonwealth Parliaments to continuously build capacity, allocate budgets, and facilitate global knowledge-sharing to combat climate change.

Echoing President Yoweri Museveni's call for symbiotic relations between African states and their colonial masters, he commended Speaker Anita Among for fostering Parliamentary diplomacy and promoting knowledge of Parliamentary democracy within the Commonwealth.

He stressed the need to harmonize climate change legislation to pool resources and address diverse regional effects. Wetang'ula was re-elected as the Africa bloc representative in the Standing Committee of the CSPOC.

He said this second term in this position marks his unwavering commitment to the development of our continent, a commitment solidified during the Africa region geo-political meeting. He said his re-selection reflects the trust of fellow Speakers within the Commonwealth region in his leadership and service delivery.

He promised to collaborate with counterparts in the Committee, to dedicate time to addressing the common challenges faced by their people, including climate change effects, legislation affecting Africa, and the pursuit of unity in the region.

The conference addressed diverse issues like inclusive Parliaments, security for Members of Parliament, health and well-being of legislators, gender, and youth governance.

He commended the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda Anita Among for hosting the conference, showcasing a spirit of togetherness in nurturing Parliamentary democracy.

The CSPOC conference, created in 1969, serves as a platform for Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth Parliaments to share experiences and collaborate.

Operating on a two-year cycle, the next host for the 28th biennial conference is the Parliament of India in January 2026. Before India was chosen as the next host, Wetang'ula raised concern about the UK which had been lined up to host the conference but boycotted it. 

Wetang'ula cautioned against boycotting such meetings and conferences urging all members to attend them and express their disagreements or dissent in the conferences.