Pan-African President Appoints First Female Clerk of Parliament
Charumbira hailed for appointing first female Clerk of Parliament, writes Taonga Botolo.
Johannesburg, South Africa-Pan-African Parliament President Chief Fortune Charumbira has been hailed as a true champion of women's empowerment following the appointment of Lindiwe Khumalo as Clerk of Parliament, writes Taonga Botolo.
Khumalo, a South African national, becomes the first woman to hold the powerful post since the continental national assembly's establishment in 2004.
In a media release, the PAP secretariat said Khumalo was appointed in accordance with Rule 17(f) of the Rules of Procedure.
"Mrs. Khumalo's appointment was presented to the Plenary Session of the Pan-African Parliament for endorsement," the statement said.
"In his presentation to the plenary, the President of the Pan-African Parliament, Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira, detailed the competitive process that led to the appointment of the new clerk after the position had remained vacant for over a year. Hon. Chief Charumbira told Pan-African Parliamentarians that the Bureau is confident that the appointment of Mrs. Khumalo, the first female clerk since the establishment of the institution in 2004, will propel the Secretariat of the Continental Parliament to new heights."
Prior to joining the Pan-African Parliament as Clerk, Khumalo served as the Acting Executive Secretary to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR).
Other notable executive positions held by Mrs Khumalo include serving as Chief Operations Officer, and thereafter Chief Executive Officer of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
Additionally, Khumalo held several advisory positions, including serving as a Technical Advisor to the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC).
Chief Charumbira has since taken over the mantle of PAP and vowed to advance the objectives and ideology of pan-Africanism.
The appointment of Khumalo as Clerk of PAP is in line with Chief Charumbira's vision of empowering and protecting women from gender-related violence.