A top continental parliamentary caucus against corruption has called for collaboration with relevant organisations particularly the African Union, to leverage on issues of accountability, transparency, integrity and good governance.
The African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) in their board meeting chaired by the organisation’s president, Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi, resolved to explore collaboration with other regional organisations such as the Pan African Parliament, and regional bodies like EALA, CEMAC, ECOWAS and SADC to the create requisite synergies for the fight against corruption.
The organisation, which was holding its second board meeting since the election of Muturi in March last year, believes that it is time now that legislators across Africa play their crucial role in emancipating the continent from the menace of corruption.
Speaking during the opening of the two-day meeting, Muturi said there is need for parliamentarians in Africa who believe in the cause to re-energise then network through sharing of ideas, strategies and best practice to effectively make a difference in the war against corruption.
Muturi called on parliaments to embrace their national chapters of APNAC and recognise them as crucial caucuses that help strengthen capacities of African parliamentarians to fight corruption and promote good governance.
“We call upon all speakers of parliaments in the African region, in the spirit of strengthening their legislatures to fight corruption to recognise the national APNAC chapters as a Parliamentary Caucus,” he said.
Muturi has since been tasked to contact all speakers in the region to inform them of this resolution.
Further, he will be communicating the board’s resolution that urges parliaments in the region to support the activities of their APNAC National Chapters that are geared towards embracing vibrant and robust anti-corruption drives.
Kenya, Rwanda and Cameroon (with Ghana as an alternate) were nominated to represent APNAC in the Global Organization of Parliaments Against Corruption (GOPAC) executive committee.
APNAC, an affiliate of the GOPAC, was founded 20 years in Uganda, to strengthen African parliaments’ commitment and capacity to fight corruption.
It further aims at building the commitment and capacity of African parliaments and parliamentarians to ensure transparency and accountability with particular emphasis on financial matters
Members share information on lessons learned and share best practices to control and fight corruption in their countries.