Hon Lukas Sinimbo Muha, Chairperson of the National Council and also the Deputy Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region is attending the 85th Executive Committee meeting in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 03 – 07 August 2023.
The CPA Africa Region is one of the key organs within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association which operates with CPA International and various geographic regions. The Executive Committee is meeting in preparation of the upcoming Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference slated for Accra, Ghana from 30 September to 09 October 2023. The Africa region normally hosts an annual conference before the main CPC, but since the latter conference has not taken place, the Executive Committee will consider matters that would have been considered by the Africa Annual Conference.
Among the key issues that came up for discussion, is the consideration of various reports from constituting organs such as the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), Regional Representatives, as well as the Financial Report. On financials, the committee deliberated on possibilities of investing funds that are not required for immediate use in commercial ventures.
The Committee furthermore discussed the issue of relocation of the CPA International Headquarters from the current location in London to another Commonwealth country. The views and aspirations of CPA Africa Region will be canvassed at the upcoming CPA International Annual Conference in Accra, Ghana.
The Committee also reflected on threats of withdrawal of some of the commonwealth countries from the 27th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth countries (CSPOC). This latter conference is slated for Kampala, Uganda in January 2024, but Parliaments of Canada and New Zealand “have expressed deep concern over proceeding with the Kampala meeting following the recent adoption of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023”.
Having considered the assurances from the Ugandan Parliament, the Executive Committee resolved to support the view that the meeting as scheduled in Kampala to continue, as every Parliament is mandated to make laws on behalf of the people wo have elected and given them the mandate to legislate on their behalf.
