The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) on Wednesday called for the revitalisation of the African culture and the promotion of freedom of expression and cultural democracy.The assembly which is holding sessions, in Nairobi, Kenya, is seeking the immediate signing and ratification of the Charter for African Cultural renaissance by the Summit of EAC Partner States, according to a statement.A motion moved by MP Abubakar Zein Abubakar (Kenya) notes that culture is important in delivering the objectives of the EAC and strengthening integration.Abubakar noted that as the African Union turns 50 years, it is time to envisage Africa in the next five decades. “We must plan for what we want to bequeath our children in the next fifty years,” he said.MP Mike Sebalu (Uganda) said: “We must change the perception that African culture is backward or depicts all the wrong things.”The CharterThe Charter for African Cultural Renaissance was adopted by African leaders during the 2006 African Union summit in Khartoum, Sudan. The preceding instrument on culture, the Cultural Charter for Africa, was adopted in Port Louis, Mauritius, in 1976.The Objectives of the Charter include promoting an enabling environment for African peoples to maintain and reinforce the sense and will for progress and development, strengthening the role of culture in promoting peace and good governance and provision of resources to cope with globalisation.The Charter also aims at eliminating all forms of alienation, exclusion and cultural oppression in Africa, preservation and promotion of African cultural heritage, as well as restoration and integration of cultural beliefs in development strategies.The EAC Parliament urges the Summit of the Heads of State to lead Partner States in signing and ratifying the Charter. EALA also urges the national Parliaments to domesticate the Charter in their respective legal regimes and support its implementation.
