{"id":101872,"date":"2025-05-24T13:59:56","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T13:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments"},"modified":"2025-05-24T14:25:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-24T14:25:21","slug":"commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments","title":{"rendered":"Commonwealth MPs Stress AI Preparedness in Parliaments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to gain global traction, lawmakers across Africa have raised both hopes and concerns over its integration into parliamentary processes, highlighting deep structural and operational challenges that could hinder its effective adoption.<\/p>\n

Speaking during a session on \u201cusing emerging technologies: artificial intelligence to ensure effective parliaments in Africa\u201d in Kigali, on May 21, members of the commonwealth women parliamentarians (CWP) forum called for a cautious but strategic approach toward the use of AI in governance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile AI presents incredible opportunities to make our parliaments more efficient and responsive, it also raises serious concerns especially when it comes to data availability and infrastructure,\u201d said MP Alice Kornya Sandy from the parliament of Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn many African countries, access to reliable data remains a challenge. How can we expect AI to function effectively without trusted data inputs?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n

Her concerns were echoed by MP Helen Pushie Manyeneng, the Deputy Speaker of the national assembly of Botswana, who warned that the use of AI will demand significant financial and technical investment.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI requires core infrastructure like GPUs, which many of our countries don\u2019t have. More than that, it also opens doors to new forms of cybercrime. We must prepare wisely,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Despite these warnings, some lawmakers underscored the potential of AI to transform legislative work. MP Vanessa Umuhoza Gashumba emphasized that if properly managed, the benefits of AI could far outweigh its risks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen used responsibly, AI can reduce workload, streamline communication, and empower parliamentarians to make better decisions faster,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

It was also highlighted that many countries in Africa don\u2019t even know where to start from.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe understand that AI can improve the quality of parliamentary services,\u201d said MP Nokuthula M. Dlamini from the Parliament of Eswatini, who added that \u201cbut most of our countries don\u2019t even know where to start. We lack both the structures and the systems in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other lawmakers raised ethical and social concerns.<\/p>\n

MP Dr Nomathemba Emily Mokgethi from Gauteng Provincial Legislature in South Africa called for caution, citing AI\u2019s newness and unpredictability.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore we embrace it, we need clear policies on its use. AI might provide quick access to legal documents, but what if it leaks confidential information?\u201d<\/p>\n

Sen. Penine Uwimbabazi warned that over-reliance on AI could reduce human reasoning and critical thinking.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople used to say, \u2018If you want to hide something from an African, better put it in a book.\u2019 Now it seems AI could make everything easy to find, but at what cost to accountability?\u201d<\/p>\n

Innocent Bagamba Muhizi, the CEO of the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), provided insights into AI\u2019s potential and practical applications.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI mimics human behavior using large datasets,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt can cut down on the time clerks and MPs spend on analyzing bills, comparing previous versions, or understanding public opinion on certain laws.\u201d<\/p>\n

Muhizi said AI can translate parliamentary discussions into multiple local languages in real time, assist MPs with disabilities using voice tools, and help track policy implementation from the grassroots.<\/p>\n

He acknowledged the concerns raised by MPs, saying: \u201cAI systems are created by people and can carry inherent biases. We must be vigilant and ensure inclusive and ethical AI deployment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Responding to MP Sandy\u2019s concerns on data, Muhizi emphasized that data is the lifeblood of AI systems and that data storage, access, and regulation must be treated with utmost seriousness.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could find a 20-year-old law in seconds if the data is well-managed. That\u2019s the power of AI,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As for MP Dlamini\u2019s worry about where countries should begin, Muhizi urged African leaders to champion digital transformation at the highest level.<\/p>\n

\u201cInclude AI in national and parliamentary strategies, build institutional capacity, train staff, and ensure there\u2019s someone accountable. All of this must be endorsed at cabinet level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Muhizi also praised Rwanda\u2019s education system for preparing the next generation of AI experts through its competency-based curriculum. On the cost of AI-related hardware such as GPUs, he suggested a more affordable solution; using public cloud services.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s scalable, cost-effective, and gives access to specialized computing resources without local investment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

However, MPs from SADC countries pointed out that in their nations, unlike Rwanda, there are no minimum education requirements for MPs, which makes even basic ICT use difficult in some cases.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI literacy starts with education,\u201d Muhizi responded, \u201cand Rwanda is laying the groundwork early thanks to a competence-based curriculum.\u201d<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Rwanda<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Rwanda. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to gain global traction, lawmakers across Africa have raised both hopes and concerns over its integration into parliamentary processes, highlighting deep structural and operational challenges that could hinder its effective adoption. Speaking during a session on \u201cusing emerging technologies: artificial intelligence to ensure effective parliaments in Africa\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":101871,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,14],"tags":[1118,2478,758],"class_list":["post-101872","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-ai","tag-commonwealth","tag-rwanda"],"yoast_head":"\nCommonwealth MPs Stress AI Preparedness in Parliaments - Rwanda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to gain global traction, lawmakers across Africa have raised both hopes and co ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Commonwealth MPs Stress AI Preparedness in Parliaments\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to gain global traction, lawmakers across Africa have raised both hopes and co ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Rwanda\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-24T13:59:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-24T14:25:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2025\/05\/sm_1748084065.216338.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"666\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Commonwealth MPs Stress AI Preparedness in Parliaments\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-24T13:59:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-24T14:25:21+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments\"},\"wordCount\":761,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/sites\/23\/2025\/05\/sm_1748084065.216338.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"AI\",\"Commonwealth\",\"Rwanda\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"Policy\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/policy\/commonwealth-mps-stress-ai-preparedness-in-parliaments\",\"name\":\"Commonwealth MPs Stress AI Preparedness in Parliaments - 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