By Sahr Eric George
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – Honourable Mohamed Bangura the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Karene District under the All People’s Congress Party (APC) has on Monday June 24, 2024 subscribed to the oath of office at the continental Pan African Parliament (PAP).
His membership into the PAP comes after his name was included among the five MPs by the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) government who sacrificed a slot out of their three slots for Hon. Bangura being an opposition member. This is seen as a way of compensating him after the former house Speaker Hon. Chernor Abass Bundu (PhD) unceremoniously removed his name from the list of the Sierra Leone Parliamentary Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament, an act that many said led to his fall from the grace at Tower Hill.
Though most of his decisions are sometimes perceived as politically incorrect from a partisan viewpoint, but the results are showing personally positive outcomes for his political career and profile as he sets another parliamentary record.
He is the only MP in the Sierra Leone Parliament’s history to have attained membership in two international Parliamentary Delegations in one Session. (Served in the ECOWAS parliament and now in the Pan African Parliament).
Hon. Bangura’s supporters hail him as a political maverick whereas his critics say he’s a political ‘crosstitutionist.’
He is the Chairman of the Country’s Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee who is believed to have his eyes on the presidency in 2028. Having served as a Political Party Leader for the United Democratic Movement (UDM), a Cabinet Minister at the Ministry of Information under the presidency of former president Ernest Bai Koroma, a Presidential Adviser and a ranking Lawmaker for a solid two term and counting.
Hon. Bangura recently slammed his party (APC) for walking out of the National Unity Agreement (tripartite committee), a decision the APC retracted spontaneously within hours of Hon. Bangura’s rebuke.
Before today, Hon. Bangura was among the new Pan-African Parliament (PAP) legislators that participated in an orientation ahead of today’s opening ceremony of the third Ordinary Session of the Sixth Parliament where over twenty (20) new parliamentarians were sworn in.
This follows elections in several African Union Member States and rotation within delegations.
The Legislators underwent an orientation session which was Pioneered by the PAP’s Secretariat, which included an overview of the Parliament’s functions, roles of the AU Constitutive Act, Organs of the AU and their functions, Pan-African Parliament Protocol, and Rules of Procedure.
They were also briefed on security issues and had the opportunity to view the institution’s premises.
Ms. Lindiwe Khumalo, Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament, stated: “Our duty is to assist you in understanding how the Pan-African Parliament conducts its business. We are looking forward to your positive contributions as we seek to build a vibrant Africa for all. All the information we are sharing with you today is complemented by documents that will be made available to you,” Khumalo said.
The Ordinary Session is scheduled to run from June 24, to July 5, this year operating under the African Union’s theme:
“The year of education, educate an African fit for the 21st century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa.
The Parliament has up to two hundred and seventy-five (275) members representing the fifty-five (55) Africa Union (AU) Member States that have ratified the Protocol establishing it (the delegates include, five members per Member State, including at least one woman and representing the diversity of political opinions in their own national parliament or deliberative organ). SEG/25/6/2024