Africa-Press – Lesotho. Mafeteng No. 55 Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Temeki Tšolo has been nominated to the Pan African Parliament (PAP). Hon. Tšolo replaces Hon. Tšeliso Kalake, who has been
appointed as the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations. PAP was inaugurated in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2004 as one of the African Union (AU) organs.
It was established through the Abuja Treaty of 1991. It is envisaged to guarantee the participation of Africans in the continental economic development activities and integration thereof.
It is a platform for all Africans to be part of decision-making and dialogue on matters that affect them and their continent including the challenges facing
the continent. PAP is currently operating as an advisory and consultative structure. There are plans to transform it into a legislative body armed with powers to enact continental laws.
PAP holds two Ordinary Sessions annually the first being in March and the second in August. These are usually preceded by the Committees sittings which deliberate on the business of this parliament.
The first Ordinary Session was held in South Africa in 2005. The full Assembly of the Parliament is the Plenary. It is charged with the power to pass resolutions and assume the status of the
decision-making body. PAP has Permanent Committees and Caucuses. The former convenes in March and August for statutory meetings and sometimes for non-statutory meetings and the latter meet during the ordinary sessions of the
Parliament twice a year. Attempts to get the reaction from Hon. Tšolo proved futile as he was not reachable on his phone. Earlier in June, PAP was suspended indefinitely following
scuffles that happened during the elections of its President. It was later said it will reconvene on November 13, a date which the AU had since postponed and
it is yet to communicate the new date. Mafeteng No. 55 MP will take the oath during the next sitting of this continental parliament. The AU Member States which have ratified the PAP Protocol
is represented by five members of their national parliaments. Article 4 charges national parliaments to send two members from opposition parties out of five.
The term for the members of this parliament is five years. The other members who represent Lesotho at PAP are Chieftainess Nthati Bereng, who is the Head of Delegation, Hon. Palo Leteetee, Hon. ‘Mathato Phafoli and Hon. Kose Makoa.
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