Kabwila elected SADC women parliament president

Malawi congress Party legislator Jessie Kabwila has been elected president of the first Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum Women Parliament in Seychelles.

This has been revealed by the Speaker of the National Assembly Richard Msowoya who together with Kabwila is currently attending the SADC PF 41st Plenary Assembly session under the theme: Harnessing Demographic Dividend in SADC through investment in Youth.

“I am currently in Mahe, Seychelles attending the SADC PF 41st Plenary Assembly session.

“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Hon. Dr Jessie Kabwila for being elected the president of the 1st SADC PF women parliament,” Msowoya said.

According to Msowoya, the forum is going to start with a symposium focusing on youth as SADC member states angle for the demographic dividend that the region’s youthful population presents.

The Plenary is SADC PF’s highest decision-making body that brings together speakers of 14 National SADC Member states or their representatives and up to five Members or Parliament from member states, observers and resource persons.

It meets twice a year. In all, 12 National Parliaments are attending this plenary as Lesotho and Tanzania will not be in attendance.

On Sunday, there was a meeting of the Executive Committee of SADC Parliamentary Forum which was chaired by the current President, Speaker of Angola Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos.