The Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) gathering over 1,200 delegates, has started at the Speke Resort Munyonyo on Monday morning.
The conference opened with closed meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) regional secretaries as well as the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians steering committee meeting.
Rebecca Kadaga, Uganda’s speaker and CPC designate president said she was disappointed that many countries have not domesticated the statutes CPC has adopted in the past. She said there is a lot CPC has to do.
“There was a time members of the Commonwealth didn’t need a visa to go to UK, but a lot has changed,” Kadaga said, adding, “CPC has a lot to offer in terms of tourism, markets, among other things.”
The speaker called upon ordinary Ugandans to prepare memory items about Uganda these delegates can buy and take back home.
President Museveni will officially open this meeting on Thursday.
The 64th Conference in Kampala is running under the theme; “Adaption, engagement and evolution of Parliament’s in a rapidly changing Commonwealth’’. It is expected to close on September 29.
The conference brings together speakers, and delegates from former British colonies and territories.
Ms Kadaga received about 20 Speakers, Deputy Speakers of National and provincial Parliaments, and delegates on Sunday which included the CPA Chairperson, Emilia Monjowa, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon.
The Speakers and Deputy Speakers from Lesotho, Kenya, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Virgin Islands, the Gambia, Malta, Fiji, Bermuda and others also arrived, alongside felegates from Bermuda, Guyana, Ghana, New Zealand, Australia, Cameroon, ESwatini, Fiji, Gambia, Malta, Seychelles, Tanzania, Djibouti, Canada, Kenya, India, Falkland Islands, Scotland, Jamaica, United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, Malaysia, Cayman Islands, Sri Lanka, Botswana, Namibia, Pakistan, South Africa, Virgin Islands etc have also arrived.
Ms Kadaga says she wants the Commonwealth effort in promoting women’s representation in parliaments and participation in governance as an ideal close to Uganda’s heart.
Uganda last hosted the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in 1967.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
