Dylan Bettencourt
All proceedings at the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) have been suspended indefinitely.
Jeffery Onganga, PAP spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday: “Mr Vipya Harawa, clerk of the Pan-African Parliament, has suspended proceedings of the fourth Ordinary Session of the fifth parliament without assigning a day for a further meeting.”
This is due to the continued disagreements over the electoral format which led to days of violence and disruptions by members of the parliament.
Tuesday’s proceedings saw continued arguments on the electoral format as the southern African delegates are calling for a new format in which the leadership is on a rotational presidency or that the leadership be voted in via ballot.
However, the western and eastern African delegation want the current system to continue. This system is a bureau that includes a president and four vice-presidents that each represent a different region.
Violence at PAP includes a Senegalese representative Djibril War kicking South African MP, Pemmy Majondina in a scuffle.
Majondina has since accepted an apology from War.
EFF leader Julius Malema was also heard last week threatening to kill a member of the parliament which led to other delegates calling for the relocation of parliament as they no longer felt safe in South Africa.
The session began on 21 May and was due to run until 4 June with the aim of electing new leadership.
However, as this is not possible, the session has been postponed and a new date for the session will be communicated by the clerk of the PAP, Vipya Harawa.
Image source: @SABCNews
