Kazibwe rallies Parliament in campaign for AU top job

Left to Right: Ministers Beti Kamya (Kampala), Betty Amongi (Lands), Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, Dr Specioza Kazibwe, Nakasongola Woman MP Margaret Komuhangi and Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa at Parliament yesterday . PHOTO BY ALEX ESAGALA

Kampala. As voting day draws closer, the contender of the African Union chair, Dr Specioza Wandera Kazibwa, has upped her campaign, this time asking Parliament for its support.
In a meeting at Parliament yesterday, the former vice president asked Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to use her office and connections across the continent to rally for her support. Parliament, Dr Kazibwe said, has a strong influence on decisions.
“I need the blessing because the works of Africa need the parliaments of Africa. Because without the parliaments of Africa passing the budges, then we can’t do what need to do to take Africa forward,” she said.

“The people of Africa need the best representation and the people who are elected by the people are the parliamentarians and they have all the tools to ensure they get the best,” she added.
The Africa Union heads of state will meet in Kigali on July 17 to elect the union chairperson who will take on from South Africa’s Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma.
Dr Kazibwe told yesterday’s meeting which was attended by mostly legislators who have had a foot print in continental legislative work, that one of her strengths is the ability to rally people and cultivate a spirit of team work.

“As is move around Africa, the heads is state that I have met are happy that I’m a surgeon because that means wherever I am, I can use the team building skills akin to surgeons, to rally Africa as a people for us to move forward,” she said.
Dr Kazibwe, 60, faces competition from Botswana’s Dr Pelomin Venson-Moitio, 65, and Equatorial Guinea’s foreign affairs minister, Agapito Mba Mokuy, 51.
So far, she has the backing of the East African region and she is combing the continent to prop up support.
Top on her agenda, she said, is to deliver Africa to full independence by 1963 as per the union’s goal.

Ms Kadaga assured Dr Kazibwe of Parliament’s support. “I don’t know whether you really have competition because your CV puts you ahead of all the other candidates. We will seat and debate your candidature,” Ms Kadaga said. “Members here have a big network in the parliaments of Africa and so we can use them to garner support for you.”
Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa said Dr Kazibwe is the most qualified of all the three candidates.
“I am not worried. I am not sure if the other candidates were on the panel of the wise. But I have been told that you were on the panel of the wise. I want to thank President Museveni for chosing you and for putting you in positions that have exposed you and given you the confidence,” she said.

However, FDC’s Cecilia Ogwal, who served in the Africa Parliament in the 9th Parliament, urged Dr Kazibwe to repackage her message and focus on the issues that affect the African continent and show how she plans to address them. “As to your competence and level of preparedness to this challenge we are ready to support you,” she said. “However, I want you to repackage your message to touch the key areas that affect Africa today; jobs for the youth and exploitation of Africa’s resources. How do you protect our resources to make sure they are in the hands of the right people?” she added.