President Yoweri Museveni has urged Members of the Pan African Parliament to pursue common interests for the continent including legislating on issues such as Environmental protection and Climate Change, Trade and investment, Terrorism and security, Infrastructure etc that cut across countries.
“Even if there is no one government spearheading this, these are areas of common interest that nobody is addressing. There is no political body following these up,” he said.
The President was yesterday meeting Uganda’s members of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) on the sidelines of the 28th Ordinary Summit of the Heads of States and Government at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The PAP members included Jacqueline Amongin (NRM, Ngora), also the Leader of the PAP delegation; Prof. Ogenga Latigo (FDC, Agago North); Anifa Bangirana Kawooya (NRM, Sembabule); Felix Okot Ogong (NRM, Dokolo South) and Babirye Kadogo (Independent Buyende).
The PAP members of parliament briefed the President about the current status of business and the need to discuss the ratification of the Malabo protocol, a new structure of parliament that stipulates that members once elected to PAP relinquish their seats at the national parliament.
The members also sought from the President, government’s agenda at PAP and what their role can be beyond being Members of Parliament.
The also protested to the President the laxity by the South African government security that they faced when two of their delegations (Uganda and Senegal) where attacked in South Africa.
The PAP members called on the President to tackle the issue of Uganda’s image abroad in terms of investment and tourism potential, saying despite having some of the best programmes on the continent, Uganda is always knocked out by Rwanda and Tanzania.
The President has called a meeting of various sector ministries and stakeholders to meeting with PAP members and forge a way forward for Uganda’s more effective representation in the regional body.
