Ex-President Rawlings charges African Parliamentarians to be ‘voice of the people’
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has called on African Parliaments to defend and pursue the aims and aspirations of the electorate.
He called on Parliamentarians “To move away from the lethargy of ‘hear, hear’ to the action of serving as the beacon of the masses – the weapon of progress and the tonic that consolidates democracy on our continent.”
Former President Rawlings made the call when addressing the Pan-African Parliament in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday, according to a statement issued from the Office of the Former President in Accra on Tuesday.
President Rawlings, who is also the African Union High Representative for Somalia, said if Parliaments were more assertive, the political unrests in North Africa could have been prevented.
“These could have been prevented if our Parliaments were more assertive and ready to invoke impeachment clauses where leaders were subverting the national interest through the violation of human dignity, corruption and a blatant disregard for the letter of the law.”
President Rawlings said: “If as Parliamentarians we fall for either the allure of office, the whims of a political party or the control of the executive, how can we effectively scrutinise government activity?”
He was the Guest of Honour at the Pan-African Parliament Speakers Conference taking place in Johannesburg.
Speakers from Regional and National Parliaments are participating in the two-day event.
Former President Rawlings told the gathering that Parliament had a huge role in creating political security and stability and called on the Pan-African Parliament to serve as a check and balance on the quality of legislative processes offered by Parliaments across the continent.
He called on African Governments to do more to consolidate the peace and security in Somalia.
“Africa has long suffered the humiliation of allowing others from elsewhere to intervene in its internal conflicts.
We come from Africa, understand the socio-economic situations within most of our countries better and therefore have a better capacity to seek lasting solutions to these problems. It is about time we come together truly as one continent to head where necessary to defy the influence of external parties by showing friendship when our brothers are in need.”
He was accompanied by his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings.
Source: GNA