Rt. Honourable Justice Dr Patrick Matibini, MP, SC, Speaker of the National Assembly, attended the 46th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference and Annual General Meeting held at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya. The Speaker’s Delegation included Hon Jean Kapata, Minister of Tourism and Arts, Mr Stephen Masumba, MP, Ms Victoria Kalima MP, Mr Boyd Hamusonde, MP and  Mr Rodgers Lingweshi, MP.
The theme of the workshop was “Democracy and Development in Africa; Policy Options in the Post Millennium Development Goals Era”. The conference, which brought together 400 delegates from 18 Commonwealth countries in Africa, was officially opened on Tuesday 11th August, 2015 by His Excellency, Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya. In opening the conference, President Kenyatta called for more representative and inclusive Parliaments. He further urged Members of Parliament and the people as a whole to value liberty and defend the values that the Commonwealth stood for.
The Conference covered an array of topics, including the need for the change of status of the CPA from a charitable organisation to an international organisation. Another important topic that was debated concerned the role of Parliaments in tackling terrorism in Africa. In addition, the Conference considered the topic: “Women and Leadership in Africa 20 years post Beijing Platform for action: challenges and prospects of achieving gender parity.” The economic topic was on Parliament’s role in regulating public-private partnerships. Delegates also discussed the role of housing in achieving social justice.
The Conference also saw delegates to the 3rd CPA Africa Region Youth Parliament, held in Lusaka Zambia in August, 2014; present the resolutions of the Youth Parliament. The resolutions were jointly presented by Ebenezer Nii Martey (Ghana), Speaker and Ms Nissa Payet (Seychelles) Deputy Speaker. The youth thanked the CPA Africa Region for creating a forum at which the youth could discuss issues affecting them and the Continent. They further urged the Region to take their resolutions seriously and incorporate them in the conference resolutions.
During the conference, the Africa Region took a stance not to attend the 61st Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference slated for Islamabad, Pakistan, in October, 2015, if the Pakistan Branch insisted on not inviting the Jammu and Kashmir Branch to the conference.
The conference also saw the election of Rt. Hon. Santibai (Maya) Honoomanjee, Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius,as President of the CPA Africa Region, Rt. Hon. Dr. Acho Ihim, Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly as Vice-President of the Association and Hon Elijah Okupa (Uganda) as Vice-Treasurer. Hon. Lindiwe Maseko, MP, (South Africa) wasre-elected Chairperson of the Executive Committee.
 The 47th CPA Africa Region Conference will take place in Mauritius sometime in August, 2016.