Blackman Ngoro
A leading member of the Swapo government Theo Ben Gurirab has been annointed to represent the African bloc as the head of the International Parliamentary Union.
This was divulged by the head of the SADC parliamentary forum and speaker of the parliament of Botswana, Patrick Balopi in an address to the opening session of the Pan African Parliament in Midrand today (Monday).
Over 140 national parliaments are members of the IPU. Its headquarters are in Geneva. The organization was created in 1889.
As recent as April the IPU's Committee of Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the IPU meeting in Cape Town has been openly critical of the impunity of the Zimbabwean government in the violation of the rights of such legislators as Tendai Biti, Nelson Chamisa, Paul Madzore, and Jacod Sakala.
During its session in Cape Town, the Committee examined the cases of 220 legislators, among them public cases in: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Burundi, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Honduras, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Palestine/Israel, the Philippines, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Zimbabwe.
Though the African bloc has overwhelmingly accepted the candidature of Namibia's current speaker of the house of assembly Theo Ben Gurirab as the next head of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) it remains to be seen whether the Namibian would in such a position, be forced by African tradition to remain mum in cases where countries friendly to Namibia violate the human rights of their people.
Gurirab was president of the United Nations General Assembly from 1999 to 2000. He became prime minister of Namibia from 2002 to 2005.
He has served as speaker of the Namibian National Assembly from 2005.
Balopi called on all African parliaments to endorse the candidature of the Namibian.
His call was supported by the president of the Pan African Parliament, Getrude Mongela, who endorsed the candidature saying she noted that their task as a body was to now drum up support for this initiative.
"It is now Africa's turn to lead the IPU" Balopi said.
Concerns abound however that on a continent ridden by many cancers including tyranny, corruption, under-development, undemocratic decision making and lack of consideration of citizen rights and their welfare, what Gurirab's taking over of the IPU would do for Africa.
Many believe it would just be a position for the powerful of Africa to continue to be seen while overiding the wishes of their poor citizens.
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