KIMIHURURA-The Speaker of Parliament, Rose Mukantabana, will take over as president of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association -Africa, at the end of their conference that starts today.

President Paul Kagame is expected to officially open the meeting.

Demetrius Mgalami, the Assistant Regional Secretary of CPA-Africa, told The New Times, yesterday, that after the conference, Mukantabana will head the caucus for a year, in accordance with the group’s constitution.

Mgalami said that at the beginning of the meeting, Mukantabana will be named vice-president to enable her co-chair the Kigali conference.

"The vice president of the association is elected as per article 35 – the person who is going to host will be one of the presiding officers – Rwanda is hosting this conference and by virtue of that, it will produce a vice-president.”

"However, under the same article, at the end of the conference, Rwanda will be elected President of the association.”

Last year, South Africa hosted the conference, and Hon. Sipho Lubisi, the Speaker of Mpumalanga, was elected as president of the association.

Today’s conference will focus on two aspects –the administrative and the financial.

"The conference will pass the budget of the association, discuss the statement on financial accounts for the region for the year, and also receive reports from its three sub-committees,” Mgalami said.

Rwanda is hosting the 42nd African CPA annual conference, under the theme: "Consolidating Growth and Development."

Thematic sessions in the Kigali CPA-Africa conference include the issue of food security and sustainable livelihood and the role of Parliament in mitigating the impact of genetically modified crops on poverty and food security.

Democracy, good governance, gender, terrorism, piracy and the challenge of parliaments in safeguarding national development interests in an atmosphere where the Executive plays a dominant role, will also be on the agenda.

Ends