PAN African Parliament (PAP) president Roger Nkodo Dang yesterday endorsed Zimbabwe’s transition from former President Robert Mugabe’s rule last year which ushered in a new leadership under President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his deputies, Retired General Constantino Chiwenga and Kembo Mohadi.
by VENERANDA LANGA
Dang told Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda and Senate President Edna Madzongwe during a courtesy at the Parliament of Zimbabwe that the events (soft coup) in Zimbabwe were examplary, adding that other countries in Africa should emulate and fully support the peaceful transition.
“PAP has a role to promote peace and democracy and we are happy about what happened in Zimbabwe during the peaceful transition where nothing was broken and the new leadership made a good statement of peace,” Dang said.
“The emphasis is that the new dispensation that has taken place in Zimbabwe is one that the rest of Africa should celebrate because we have seen a scenario of jubilation in the villages, in contrast with other transitions in Africa which are riddled by wars; and so Zimbabwe has scored a first where the leadership has changed without any violence, and it has changed with dignity which is something to celebrate in the continent,” he said.
A member of the PAP delegation, Arikana Chihombori Quao, who is also African Union ambassador to the United States of America, also congratulated Mnangagwa and his Cabinet, “for a job well done”, adding that American President Donald Trump’s administration was interested in working with Zimbabwe.
On unfortunate comments made recently by Trump where he described Africa as a “shithole”, Chihombori Quao explained: “Trump indicated that he has respect for African people and has committed to work with African governments including Zimbabwe.”
PAP delegate from the National Assembly of Zambia Geoffrey Lungwangwa (MP) said it was imperative for Zimbabwe to ratify the Malabo Protocol which will ensure that PAP gets full legislative authority.
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Dang and Lungwangwa told Mudenda that they were worried by the slow pace at which African countries were ratifying PAP protocols, with the Malabo Protocol having been signed by 15 States, and ratified by eight yet it needed to be ratified by 28 countries in order for it to be active.
Mudenda said the transition from Mugabe’s government to Mnangagwa’s new administration was done constitutionally, with Parliament playing a leading role to ensure all constitutional provisions were followed.
On ratification of the Malabo Protocol, he said Foreign Affairs minister Sibusiso Moyo and Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi would look into the matter to ensure it is ratified.
