CHIEFS Council vice president Chief Fortune Charumbira has been re-elected as president of the Pan African Parliament (PAP).
This was after he got the right to represent the Southern African regional caucus last Friday which currently holds the presidency of the continental body.
Chief Charumbira yesterday garnered 127 votes from 172 votes during an election held at the PAP headquarters in Midrand, Johannesburg to reclaim the right to be at the helm at PAP, whose thrust is to steer the Pan African Agenda.
This means Chief Charumbira secured the right to continue leading PAP until his term ends next year.
Other posts that were up for grabs include those for the PAP First Vice president, Professor Massouda Laghdaf (North Africa) and Fourth Vice president Djidda Mahamat (Central Africa).
Last Friday, Chief Charumbira won the right to represent the Southern African regional caucus which currently hold the presidency in a tightly contested poll where he beat his rival, Mr Miles Sampa of Zambia.
The PAP polls were held after membership of the incumbents lapsed owing to elections in their respective countries and change of Governments in some of the countries.
Chief Charumbira was the president of PAP after he won the polls but his membership of PAP together with others was terminated by operation of the law after he temporarily ceased to be a legislator when Parliament was dissolved to pave way for the 23 August 2023 harmonised elections
The convening of an Extraordinary Session of PAP is an outcome of the Executive Council decision of the African Union summit held in Addis Ababa in February this year where several Heads of States and Government including President Mnangagwa attended.
Yesterday’s election process was characterised by some intriguing scenes as social media activist Joseph Kalimbwe from Zambia was chased out of the PAP Midrand office in South Africa as he tried to influence the election by distributing flyers meant to decampaign Chief Charumbira.
Mr Kalimbwe and his team resorted to distributing flyers after failing to mobilise Civic Society Organisations to protest against Chief Charumbira at the PAP headquarters.
Some legislators, irked by Mr Kalimbwe’s conduct, told him to go away to allow the smooth holding of elections.
On Sunday, an Ad Hoc committee appointed to preside over the election had dismissed some last minute attempts to disqualify the candidature of Chief Charumbira.
Despite his acceptance of the election outcome earlier on and having congratulated and hugged Chief Charumbira in full glare of cameras, Mr Sampa turned around and sought to have him disqualified over allegations of financial impropriety that were peddled on social media last year but no substantial evidence were proffered.
The Ad Hoc Committee dismissed the petition saying the allegations were not sustainable for want of evidence.
Zanu PF Chief Whip Cde Pupurai Togarepi said they were excited to retain the presidency of PAP.
“We are proud as the Zimbabwean delegation for winning for our country and Africa,” he said. – Herald
