Ghana’s Minority Leader chairs African MPs group against corruption
The African Parliamentarians Network Against Corruption (APNAC) has elected the Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, as its chairman.
At the keenly contested election which took place at the Biennial General Meeting of the association, which took place at Kampala, Uganda, he polled eight out of total 12 votes to beat two other contestants, including the incumbent chairman, Mr Given Lubinda, who is also the chairman of the Zambia Chapter of the network.
The other contestant was Mr Amadou Bouare from Mali.
The election was conducted under the supervision of representatives of the Global Organisation of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC).
APNAC is an association which co-ordinates and strengthens the capacities of African parliamentarians in the fight against corruption and promotes good governance.
It has national chapters in the eastern, southern and western regions of Africa and works closely with other anti-corruption bodies both in and outside the continent.
Since its formation in 1999 in Kampala, Uganda, APNAC has promoted accountability, transparency and public participation in processes of governance as the best ways to control corruption.
The network has a constitution which guides the conduct of its activities. The constitution provides for the election of a chairman, vice chairman and 10 other members (two each from the Western, Eastern, Central and Northern chapters) to its board during a biennial general meeting.
The Constitution of the network also provides that members of the board serve for a period of two years and may be re-elected for a further two-year term.
The guidelines and rules governing the electoral process provides for a vote each from each national chapter. National chapters which took part in the voting included Uganda, Zambia, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Benin, Chad, Mozambique and Burkina Faso.
Senator Marie-Claire Muskaine from Rwanda was elected unopposed as the Vice Chairperson of the network.
Other persons approved by the meeting as members of the board were Mr Louis Vlavonou of Benin, Mr Oumar Sarr of Senegal, Ms Margaret Kiboijana of Uganda, Dr Mary Mwanjelwa of Tanzania, Mr Willas Madzimure of Zimbabwe, Mr Ana Rita Sithole of of Mozambique , Mr Tourgoudi Ouchar and Madi Maina Tchari, both from Chad.
Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu is reported to have expressed his gratitude to the meeting in his post-election remarks for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to build on the successes chalked by the previous executives of the network.
Source: The Mirror