Senate Speaker Amason Kingi pitches for regional peace during DRC visit

Amason Kingi

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi (third right) and his delegation meets Democratic Republic of Congo parliamentary leaders in Kinshasa during his working visit to the DRC.

Photo credit: Courtesy

Senate Speaker Amason Jeffah Kingi has rallied parliamentarians in the Great Lakes region to take a leading role in pushing for peaceful resolution to conflicts ravaging the region and displacing millions of residents.

Speaker Kingi, who is the current Sitting President of the Forum of Parliaments of Member States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (FP-ICGLR) made a strong pitch for peace during a weeklong working visit in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which ended at the weekend.

FP-ICGLR, which brings together parliaments in the Great Lakes Region, has its head office on Kinshasa.

Mr Kingi, who was received at the FP-ICGLR headquarters by the Secretary General Ambassador Onyango Kakoba, had meetings with DRC Senate Speaker Prof Modeste Bahati Lukwebo, and his National Assembly Assembly counterpart Christopher Mboso N’Kodia Pwanga.

Amason Kingi

Senate Speaker Amason Jeffah Kingi (left) with Prof Modeste Bahati Lukwebo-DRC Senate Speaker during a visit to Kinshasa.

Photo credit: Courtesy

Later Mr Kingi held consultations with ambassadors of the lobby’s 12 member States who are accredited to the DRC. 

The member States are Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Republic of South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.

And in a joint communique released at the end of the engagements, the leaders said their talks focused on the ongoing conflicts and processes aimed at restoring peace, stability in eastern DRC.

“The above brainstorming exercise was intended to collect views from members of the diplomatic community in order to trigger Parliaments of the region to play a more active role, working hand in hand with the Executive branches of government, in seeking solutions to interstate conflicts,” the statement read.

The engagements took place even as the FP-ICGLR prepares for the 13th ordinary session of the plenary assembly to be held later in Juba, South Sudan.

In their responses, the members of the diplomatic community from ICGLR member States unanimously called for concerted efforts to ensure the return of peace and stability in eastern DR Congo.

They welcomed what leaders at the meeting described as the paradigm shift to involve the Legislature in inter-State conflict resolution.

They recommended that FP-ICGLR works closely with the summit of Heads of States of ICGLR in the process. 

Kingi Amason

Senate Speaker Amason Jeffah Kingi (centre) adresses a press conference of Great Lakes Region Parliamentarians at Kinshasa, DRC.

Photo credit: Courtesy

The diplomats further proposed that a correct diagnosis of the root causes of ongoing conflicts in Eastern DRC be made.

Mr Kingi, thanked ICGLR Ambassadors for their invaluable contribution, and encouraged them to meet more frequently in order to candidly discuss best ways to collectively address issues facing the region.

He encouraged them to factor in the regional approach as they report to their respective governments.

The Senate Speaker was accompanied by Senators Veronica Maina, Catherine Mumma and section of senior Senate staff.