By Markson Omagor
MBALE
Ngora County Member of Parliament has been sworn in as one of Uganda’s delegate to the Pan African Parliament (PAP).
Achayo was among the Five delegates that the new Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah swore in yesterday 25th May 2021 at the 11th Parliament first sitting.
Achayo was nominated by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party in a letter signed by the Secretary General, Justine Kasule and addressed to the Clerk to Parliament.
The other members from NRM are Hon. Felix Okot Ogong, MP Dokolo South and Hon. Bangirana Anifa Kawooya – MP Mawogola West.
What Is PAP
The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union and held its inaugural session in March 2004. The PAP exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, lasting for the first five years. Initially the seat of the Pan-African Parliament was in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, but it was later moved to Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
On 28 October 2009, the second legislature of the Pan-African Parliament opened its first ordinary session and began a new five-year mandate. South African President Jacob Zuma gave the opening speech and called for the PAP to be given full legislative powers and its members elected by universal suffrage.
The Parliament is composed of five members per Member State that has ratified the Protocol establishing it, including at least one woman per Member State.
Powers of the Parliament
Examine, discuss or express an opinion on any matter, either on its own initiative or at the request of the Assembly or other policy organs and make any recommendations it may deem fit relating to, inter alia, matters pertaining to respect of human rights, the consolidation of democratic institutions and the culture of democracy, as well as the promotion of good governance and the rule of law.
Discuss its budget and the budget of the Community and make recommendations thereon prior to its approval by the Assembly of the African Union.
Work towards the harmonisation or co-ordination of the laws of the Member States.
Make recommendations aimed at contributing to the attainment of the objectives of the OAU/AEC and draw attention to the challenges facing the integration process in Africa as well as the strategies for dealing with them.
Request officials of the OAU/AEC to attend its sessions, produce documents or assist in the discharge of its duties.
Promote the programmes and objectives of the OAU/AEC, in the constituencies of the Member States.
Promote the co-ordination and Harmonization of policies, measures, programmes and activities of the Regional Economic Communities and the parliamentary fora of Africa.
Adopt its Rules of Procedure, elect its own President and propose to the Council and the Assembly the size and nature of the support staff of the Pan-African Parliament.
Perform such other functions as it deems appropriate to achieve the objectives set out in Article 3 of the Protocol.
In one of its first actions the Pan African Parliament agreed to send a fact-finding mission to the Darfur region of Sudan.
