When Fortune Charumbira, a chief and a senator in Zimbabwe, was elected president of the Pan-African Parliament more than a year ago, he promised to focus on peace and unity among African countries. In this interview with Mkhululi Chimoio for Africa Renewal, Mr.Charumbira discusses his achievements so far and his take on the Russia-Ukraine war. These are excerpts from the interview:
You assumed office at the Pan-African Parliament amid some divisions following your election. How has it been since then?
First of all, my duty as a leader was to deal with those divisions. When you take over an office of such magnitude in a democratic space, even in an inherited chieftainship, sometimes there is contestation. It strengthens a leader. It builds character and makes the leader settle faster into the new leadership position.
People from all regions are working with me. I embraced everyone. I ensure fairness in the allocation of positions to people across the regions in the different committees. The vice presidents now come from different regions. We have one each from Arabic-speaking, French-speaking and Portuguese-speaking regions. As a result, everybody feels on board.
The election intrigues are over, and it is now time to embrace everyone and work together.
You spoke about uniting the Pan-African Parliament for a progressive Africa. How is that going?
Uniting Africa is a responsibility for all of us, not just this parliament. The Africa Unite message has always been there and has permeated every AU summit, even before the formation of the Organisation of African Union [the precursor to the African Union] in 1963. In our own spaces and institutions, we all are pursuing unity for Africa. It is sacrosanct.
We want the Pan-African Parliament to be a parliament of the people.
When I took over, I decided to rebrand this institution and do away with the colonial way of thinking that divided us along the lines of being either anglophone, francophone or lusophone.
We must embrace unity despite the challenges. It is our unavoidable duty.
Africa is reeling under the current geopolitical realignment. How has this realignment affected your work?
It is real. Consider the issues arising out of the Russia-Ukraine war, for example.
In December 2022, 17 members of the Pan-African Parliament travelled to the European Parliament. We held discussions on many issues. The European Parliament had drafted a communique on the Russia-Ukraine war. When asked to sign it, we said, “No, Africa is not part of that war.”
We were clear as the Pan-African Parliament: our mission was to preach peace. Our role was not to take sides; it was to encourage Russia and Ukraine to seek peace.
From the Cold War came the Non-Aligned Movement because Africa’s leaders realized that taking sides would not help Africa. We will not be drawn into geopolitical conflicts.
- The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) is the legislative arm of the African Union with 55 member states
- It has 275 MPs in total — five per each AU member state — who are elected or designated by their national parliaments
- It was established in March 2004
- It sits in Midrand, South Africa
- It is headed by a bureau that consists of a President and four Vice-Presidents representing the five regions of the continent
- It aims to evolve into an institution with full legislative powers and members elected through universal adult suffrage
- It pushes the agenda, policies and objectives of the AU by discussing, examining and expressing opinions on matters pertaining to human rights, culture of democracy, promotion of good governance and the rule of law
How do you think the Pan-African Parliament and Africa at large should leverage the West and the East, both scrambling for a share of the continent?
No continent can support us without expecting to benefit from us. While the United States has been calling for partnerships, Europe came first, while China came later with its own style, refurbishment and construction of infrastructure.
The real challenge is neither China nor the United States. None of them is responsible for expanding our economies. Some may do mining here and there — but to their own benefit — as they repatriate their money rather than plough it back to expand our economies or create employment.
Depending on external donors to develop our economies does not work. Ultimately, we need domestic financial mobilization.
Zimbabwe is now known for its mantra, “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,” which is Shona for “Only the citizens of a country can develop their own country.”
We will not be drawn into geopolitical fights that do not help Africa in any way.
How do you think the recent elections in Kenya, Lesotho and Nigeria will affect the work of the Pan-African Parliament and the quest for a progressive Africa?
Voters in these countries exercised their democratic rights, although there were contestations. Those who win should embrace those who lose.
What destroyed Africa in the past was this winner-take-all attitude. It may have been good under a one-party rule but not in an African democracy.
Also, Africans have matured politically, and they know that keeping the ruling party on its toes is good, so that it delivers on its promises to citizens.
An opposition can bring valuable inputs. That is a fact.
For the Pan-African Parliament, the lesson here is, “Do not throw away the opposition; embrace them.”
On the other side, the opposition must not oppose just for the sake of thinking differently but should do so to add value for better governance.
Our responsibility in the Pan-African Parliament is to make sure that there is responsible opposition and that the winner does not to exaggerate the win.
Depending on external donors or funding does not bring maximum economic growth.
What would you say are some of the main achievements of the Pan-African Parliament under your leadership?
We have achieved a lot.
Our responsibility is to provide platforms for debates. In that respect, we have invited a number of stakeholders, including the media, to discuss democracy on the continent.
We have done a lot in the health sector as well.
We have proposed more than 10 model laws in various sectors, including agriculture and immigration - on the very topical issues of visas, policing and cooperation. We propose laws because, at the moment, we do not have legislative powers. We advise through model laws by saying: “If you want to govern a certain area better, then these are the laws.”
Every year we host the Annual Women’s Conference, a platform for women on the continent to talk about issues affecting them.
We have hosted similar annual conferences for the youth, too. Last year, the young people met in Morocco, to share their own views on governance and discuss other sectors.
We discuss many other issues, too, such as food security. We recently concluded a session on climate change.
Only the citizens/residents of a country can develop their country.
National parliaments may pick ideas from our debates for their domestication, and we might pick from their discussions as well with an aim of improving. We have five members from each AU member state.
For example, on climate change, President William Ruto of Kenya presented the resolutions coming from our parliament’s gathering in Midrand, South Africa, on May 15 and 16, 2023, at the Africa Climate Summit in September 2023 in Nairobi for all African heads of states to pursue. As the champion of climate change among the heads of state, President Ruto was the guest of honour at Midrand.
What about the Africa Continental Free Trade Area?
We also had a conference on the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, which we expect to change the fortunes of the continent through trade and to grow our economies.
We want the Pan-African Parliament to be a parliament of the people and to ensure that the AU delivers to the citizens of the continent.
We need to play that oversight role to see to it that Africa realizes its Agenda 2063 objectives.
We must follow up on whether we are getting value for the money spent by our countries on AU programmes.
We must find out what Africans want and then advise the AU, so that it improves and delivers for a better continent. Developed continents have progressed by uniting and avoiding
It is high time we adopted a positive direction for our continent.
