The Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday, July 23, voted MP Suzanne Mukayijore to represent Rwanda in the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) with 76 votes out of 80 MPs who were present at the plenary sitting. PAP is the legislative organ of the African Union (AU). Each country is represented by five deputies in PAP. Mukayijore replaced MP Ignatienne Nyirarukundo who was among five MPs for Rwanda in PAP, but moved to the Ministry of Local Government as Minister of State in charge of Social Affairs in November 2019. Mukayijore holds a bachelor’s degree in management and economics. She has been a Member of Parliament for 11 years. Before joining the parliament, she served as a manager at the People’s bank (BPR) for 10 years from 1995 to 2005; and a logistics officer at the workers’ medical insurance (RAMA) from 2005 to 2008. She promised to honour the trust that the Chamber of Deputies had in her by effectively assuming her responsibilities and ensuring good collaboration with her colleagues to contribute to the development of Africa. “I will encourage the African diaspora to actively partake in the development of the continent,” she said. “Africa should be self-reliant. We should join our efforts with a converging goal to achieve the continents self-reliance and dignity,” she observed. According to information from the African Union, PAP was set up to ensure the full participation of African peoples in the economic development and integration of the continent. The Parliament sits in Midrand, South Africa. Rather than being elected directly by the people, PAP members are designated by the legislatures of their Member State and members of their domestic legislatures. The ultimate aim is for the Parliament to be an institution with full legislative powers, whose members are elected by universal suffrage. Until such time, the PAP has consultative, advisory and budgetary oversight powers within the AU.
