Zanu Pf Senator and former Zimbabwe Chief’s Council president, Chief Fortune Charumbira has said he is still the President of the Pan African Parliament (PAP) and considers every attempt to remove him illegal.
Charumbira is alleged to be facing sexual harassment allegations as well as misappropriation of funds from the movement.
The Chief assumed office on June 29, 2022, after a one-year delay caused by conflicts among regional African bodies.
Charumbira secured a resounding majority votes (161 out of 203), and yet surprisingly his term has been marred by “self-inflicted” problems.
Charumbira previously survived an attempted removal in September 2023 when one of his deputies, Ashebiri Gayo of Ethiopia, declared himself Acting PAP President.
If indeed his removal from the PAP presidency is successful, the developmwnt will render a mere an ordinary Chief traditional leader under the leadership of his former Deputy Chief Mtshana Khumalo of Matabeleland North, who was elected to replace Charumbira as the President of the Chiefs Council in Zimbabwe having served as Charumbira’s deputy from 2018 to 2023
Despite being a Chief, Charumbira is a ruling Zanu Pf party Senator, and he still insists he is still the president of the Pan African Parliament (PAP). Charumbira reportedly told the Media on Monday 15 January 2024 amid reports he had just been removed for the umpteenth time from the position.
The PAP secretariat announced that by-elections will be conducted to fill the vacant positions. A PAP statement seen by TechMag TV read:
In a virtual session held today (11 January 2024), members of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) convened to discuss the election modalities for filling vacant positions in the Bureau, including the President, 1st Vice President, and 4th Vice President. Emphasizing a commitment to the principle of rotation in leadership elections, the meeting explored various proposed procedures aligned with the PAP Protocol and other legal instruments. The aim was to establish clear parameters that will guide the upcoming by-elections.
Pan African Parliament, the legislative arm of the African Union, reaffirmed its dedication to playing a crucial role in the development of the continent. The parliament aims to resume its activities fully as the African Union prepares for the upcoming 44th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State, scheduled for February 14 to 18
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