…Lumumba joins call for PAP legislative powers
TRINITY MAPENDERE
Midrand, South Africa-As the continent commemorates the 60th anniversary of the founding of the African Union which succeeded the Organisation of African Unity, the fruits of independence are yet to be enjoyed by the ordinary person.
The commorations to mark the historic day on May 25 ran under the befitting theme, “Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area” capturing the need for the continent to increase trade and add value to its vast minerals being shipped in raw form to the western world.
Guest speaker to the Pan African Parliament, Prof Lumumba joined the chorus for more unity beyond the political rhetoric and called for the need of the AU arm, PAP to have legislative powers as he said since its creation in 2004 it has been a talk shop.
He said there is need for legislative powers so that the PAP decisions are binding and implementable.
He challenged PAP to be visible to the ordinary person in the streets so that its programs are in tandem with the people’s expectations.
Historically, the OAU was found in 1963 by 32 independent member states led by Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia just to mention a few, which recognised that freedom, equality, justice and dignity were essential objectives for the achievement of the legitimate aspirations of the African people.
In his opening remarks, the executive director of Kara Heritage Institute, Professor Mathole Motshekga, lamented the lack of progress of unity and development on the continent.
“Today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the African Union, whose aim was to create and spread Pan-Africanism, but if we look today, the continent only gained political independence and we are still far from gaining economic, social and cultural independence.
“As PAP, there is need for a robust implementation on aspects that will see a true united, free and in control Africa as our founding fathers envisioned back in 1963”.
The day was punctuated by performances from a South African dance and poetry group and a solo performance of the late Miriam Makeba song, Ntjilo Ntjilo as well as an exhibition of African artefacts and products in the hall.
In his keynote speech through zoom to PAP, renowned Pan-Africanist and the Director of Kenyan School of Law, Professor Patrick Otieno Lumumba went down memory lane on the foundation of the African Union, expressing the need of this current generation of leaders including the PAP to fully promote unity, peace and prosperity to fulfil the 1963 Charter by the founding fathers.
“Today we celebrate Africa Day, but what are we celebrating really, a forest of declarations? Since 1963 and the end of colonial regime in 1994 in South Africa, the number of declarations and treaties done on this continent have nothing to uplift the vision of the founding fathers.
“How can we say Africa will achieve free trade yet there is no peace, look at Sudan, it pains me to see their peace talks being held in Jedda (Saudi Arabia), where is PAP and what role the PAP is playing to ensure that African problems require African solutions?”, echoed the visibly frustrated Professor Lumumba. He argued that, all the help and warm like benevolence Africa gets from the USA and Europe, beneath that there were wolves in sheep clothing and that there is need for PAP to tremendously change the script and shape the narrative.
He was however, optimistic that PAP now led by Chief Fortune Charumbira as President is now on a new trajectory and is on course to realise great things as its birth embryo falls off.
Professor Lumumba ended by words of unity and said, “we may have differences as Africans, but we must deemphasize these difference and work for a united, prosperous and peaceful continent”.
