The 19th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) Africa Region has called for robust reforms of the parliamentary system to tackle a wide range of complex governance issues affecting African nations.
During a plenary discussion on the motion “Reforming and developing innovative mechanisms and strategies for effective and proactive parliamentary leadership in Africa’s development”, the conference agreed on the need for parliaments to transcend the traditional functions of law-making, oversight and representation, and evolve into a proactive, innovative and development-oriented institution capable of addressing the complex governance challenges confronting African states.
The motion, which was moved by the Speaker of Sierra Leon Mr Segepoh Solomon Thomas and presented by the Deputy Speaker of Cameroon Ms Mary Muyali Meboka, further proposed that to achieve the reforms, African parliaments should embrace a holistic transformation agenda that integrates institutional modernisation, effective and evidence-based oversight, proper use of auditor-general reports, technological innovation, ethical leadership and institutional integrity, citizen participation and developmental accountability.
Supporting the proposed reforms in the motion, Ms Muyali Meboka said these would help combat challenges such as weak committee systems, inadequate legislative research capacity, executive dominance, insufficient budgetary independence, low technological integration, weak citizen engagement, political polarisation and ineffective follow-up on oversight findings.
“Committees should also adopt more systematic mechanisms for monitoring implementation of recommendations and ensuring executive compliance with parliamentary resolutions. Specialised sectoral committees, particularly those dealing with finance, public accounts, mining, energy, agriculture, health, education and public service delivery should be supported with technical experts capable of conducting evidence-based analysis of complex policy and financial issues,” she said.
The conference also supported a proposal for parliaments on the continent to play a more effective role in scrutinising the budget, rather than just rubberstamping executive budgets. Parliaments must move beyond ceremonial approval of budgets and engage in rigorous scrutiny of fiscal policy, expenditure priorities, debt management, procurement systems and development outcomes.
The Sierra Leone motion was seconded by the Speaker of the National Assembly of Lesotho Mr Tlohang Sekhamane who emphasised that the “challenges of the 21st century demand that parliaments shift from reactive lawmakers to proactive, evidence-led leaders that play an active role in shaping development priorities and holding governments accountable; thereby deepening public trust.”
He told the plenary that the demands and expectations of the people are changing and institutions such as parliaments must change in tandem. They should constantly review and reform to avoid institutional stagnation and the decline in public confidence.
“Reforms should aim to strengthen portfolio committees, ensuring that they are adequately resourced, supported by competent researchers and professional staff, and that they are empowered to produce meaningful recommendations capable of improving governance and service delivery,” he said.
Participating in the discussions on behalf of the South African delegation, the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces Ms Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane spoke about the importance of integrating new technologies to enhance the effectiveness of parliaments, expand access to parliament and more inclusive public participation.
Sakhile Mokoena
18 June 2026
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