A motion moved by the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Mr Jacob Marksons, and seconded by Mr Pono Pearson Moatlhodi, the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Botswana, called on African parliaments to seek strategic interventions to strengthen their accountability, public trust and oversight methods, as currently they are lagging far behind their global counterparts in this regard.
The motion “The Role of Parliaments in Enhancing Public Trust in Governance” was discussed during the first plenary session of the 19th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) Africa Region on Wednesday, at the Emperors Palace in Gauteng.
Reflecting on their countries’ experiences and extensive research on the subject, both Mr Oboth and Mr Moatlhodi noted that many African nations to not trust their leaders in government nor in parliament. Over the past two decades, this situation has worsened, they said.
CSPOC delegates agreed that the lack on public trust across African parliaments is a result of the lived experiences of citizens on a range of issues of national importance. These include the abuse of power and corruption, and a perception that Members of Parliament prioritise their own interests above those of the people they were elected to serve.
They also acknowledged that weak legislative oversight over the executive is a common challenge across African parliaments. “I want to align with all the colleagues on this the most important motion to build public trust, democracy and accountability, said the South African National Assembly Deputy Speaker, Ms Annelie Lotriet. Our role as Speakers is to ensure that we do not shield the executive, she said, but rather to make it more accountable, to accept responsibility and to apply the corrective measures where possible.
In the discussion on ways to restore public trust in government institutions, delegates suggested exercising robust oversight and avoiding undue executive influence. They also spoke about strengthening ethical governance, enforcing strict codes of conduct, applying sanctions consistently and fairly, enhancing transparency and improving public access to parliamentary decisions. Other delegates suggested that to improve public trust in parliaments, public participation must be institutionalised in legislative processes and digital tools should be used to reach a wider audience.
Manelisi Ntsodo
19 June 2026
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