Staff Reporter
CPA Africa Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa, Hon. Lukas Sinimbo Muha, has called for renewed commitment from CPA sub-national branches to address persistent gaps in participation, subscription compliance, and the implementation of gender-focused strategies.He made these remarks when he concluded a week-long oversight visit to three CPA Sub-National Branches in South Africa from 14 to 18 July 2025.
The visit included engagements with the KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, and Western Cape Provincial Legislatures.In his address to the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Hon. Muha expressed gratitude for the warm reception and reaffirmed the visit’s purpose: to strengthen collaboration, assess branch participation, and support the implementation of the CPA Africa Region Strategic Plan.
“This visit underscores our shared commitment to the CPA’s objectives, especially in fostering mutual understanding and good governance among member branches,” Hon. Muha stated.He applauded the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature for its active participation in the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) network and for promoting gender equality in political leadership.
Hon. Muha explained the role of CPA Sub-Regional Representatives as outlined in Article 14 of the CPA Africa Region Constitution.
Established in 1967, the Office of the Regional Representative plays a crucial role in representing branches in the CPA International Executive Committee.
The Southern Africa Sub-Region, which includes Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, and South Africa’s national and provincial legislatures, currently has Namibia and Eswatini as representatives in the Executive Committee.
The oversight mission had nine key objectives, including reviewing branch participation in statutory meetings, tracking implementation of the CPA Africa Regional Strategic Plan, monitoring subscription compliance, and evaluating the functionality of CWP Chapters.
It also aimed to gather insights on communication effectiveness and innovative initiatives supporting CPA Africa’s goals.
“Our mandate includes providing oversight on policy implementation and ensuring that CPA Africa remains responsive to the unique needs of each branch,” Hon. Muha said. He emphasised the importance of consistent participation and communication between regional and sub-national structures.
The findings from the visit will be compiled into a comprehensive report, which will be presented at the upcoming CPA Africa Region Executive Committee meeting scheduled for next month in The Gambia.
