Charumbira shoo-in for Pap presidency
BY SILENCE MUGADZAWETA
PRESIDENT of the Chiefs Council, Senator Fortune Charumbira is among three contenders for the Pan-African Parliament (Pap) presidency after he was announced the sole candidate to represent southern Africa.
He will face a stiff challenge from Haidara Aichata Cisse from Mali and Albino Mathom Ayuel Aboug of South Sudan.
Pap clerk Vipya Harawa said the three candidates from southern Africa, west Africa and east Africa would contest for the institution’s presidency.
“We received three nominations competing for the presidential role. The three candidates are Hon Haidara Aichata Cisse (Mrs) from Mali, Hon Albino Mathom Ayuel Aboug from South Sudan and Hon Chief Fortune Charumbira from Zimbabwe,” Harawa said.
Southern African delegates are at loggerheads with their eastern and western counterparts.
Southern Africa is demanding a presidency on a rotational basis, while the eastern and western delegates want a vote-based system.
Dramatic scenes in the Pan-African Parliament are bad for the image of an institution still trying to maintain relevance, says one analyst.
Within minutes of starting the session meant to elect a new president, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) erupted into more chaos on Tuesday. At the centre of it was a letter believed to be sent from the African Union to the PAP over reforming the contesting voting procedure.