President Yoweri Museveni yesterday received the visiting President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) Senator Fortune Charumbira who paid a courtesy call on him at State House, Entebbe.
Senator Charumbira was accompanied by the Speaker of Parliament the Rt. Hon. Anita Among and her Deputy the Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa.
Other members of the delegation included the leadership of PAP and members from Uganda; Hon. Cecilia Ogwal, Hon. Abdul Katuntu and Hon. Okot Ogong among others.
While introducing the Guest to President Museveni, Rt. Hon. Among announced that Uganda has been chosen to host the next sitting of the Pan African Parliament slated to take place from the 10th to 21st of October 2023 in Kampala.
Mr. Museveni thanked Senator Charumbira and members of PAP for choosing Uganda to host PAP sitting. He however challenged them to build unity among the people of Africa to solve the problem of prosperity and strategic security on the continent.
“My question is now to you. Why do you fail to unite these Africans whom God united long ago through a common heritage of Language and Linkages? Why don’t you build unity for them so that they help you in your problem of prosperity and security,” Gen. Museveni challenged the leadership and members of PAP.
The President also noted that since PAP does not have sovereign authority, the organ can take advantage of the advocacy powers in its possession to defeat the wrong ideology of parochialism.
“You are not governing Africa because you don’t have the sovereign powers but you have the power of advocacy. You can now advocate so that we defeat the wrong ideology of parochialism because this Pan-Africanism is an ideology,” he said.
President Museveni who had earlier taken his guests through the crucial roles that can pave the way to usher in prosperity and security to the people of Africa pledged to stand by PAP in encouraging his counterparts from the member states of the African Union (AU) to support the implementation of its objectives.
“I will tell them that I have found priests who are preaching the word of Pan Africanism and you are suppressing them by denying them the basics,” he said.
Senator Charumbira on his part hailed President Museveni for solidly supporting PAP since its inception in 2004.
He noted that Uganda is one of the countries that have been consistent in supporting PAP and was among the first to ratify the protocol to establish the body.
“I still remember how sharp you were when delivering your speech. After addressing delegates we realized that you were very knowledgeable about the affairs of the Continent. We were very impressed,” he said.
Senator Charumbira also outlined challenges faced by the organ and urged AU member States to resolve the challenges.
Rt. Hon. Among commended President Museveni for championing the campaign to promote Pan-Africanism, observing that the President has always advocated for a united, coordinated and consistent Africa that speaks with one voice.
“Uganda is the Pearl of Africa; very peaceful under the leadership of President Museveni. That is why we are here to promote what you are fighting for,” she pointed out.
The meeting was also attended by the Clerk of Parliament Hon. Adolf Mwesige.
The Pan-African Parliament was created as an organ of the African Union (AU) has its Headquarters in Midrand South Africa and is composed of 275 members representing member countries of the AU. The leadership is rotational and is currently led by Senator Fortune Charumbira from Zimbabwe.