African Parliamentarians adopted the Draft Model Law on Disability and Draft Model Policing Law during the Pan African Parliament (PAP) Third Ordinary Session of the Fifth Parliament that took place from 2nd to 18th October, 2019 in Midrand South Africa.
The Model Law on Disability aims at providing a legal and institutional framework for the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities, in line with the existing international and regional legal and policy instruments.
Presenting the Report on the development of the Draft Model Law on Disability, Hon. Lucia Mendes dos PASSOS, Chairperson of the PAP Committee on Gender, Family, Youth and People with Disabilities recommended that the African legislators adopt the model law and submit it to the African Union (AU) Summit in January 2020 in Addis Ababa.

Hon Maxas Bweupe, N’gonga, represented the Zambian Parliament during the formulation and consultation processes for the model law.

During the adoption of the model law on disability, PAP President the Rt. Hon Roger Nkodo DANG urged the parliamentarians to lobby their National Parliaments to adopt and domesticate the legislation and the Protocol on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disability in Africa.   

The Pan-African Parliament also adopted a Model Police Act that is aimed at providing a guiding legal framework for policing in Africa. This framework is in line with the Constitutive Act of the African Union, the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and other regional and international standards.

Chairperson of the PAP’s Committee on Justice and Human Rights, Hon. Ignatienne NYIRARUKUNDO said the underlying principle of the adopted Model Policing Law was to promote good governance, human rights, justice, peace and security on the African continent.
The Model Law establishes a clear mandate of performance for Law Enforcement Agencies. It compels police services in Africa to put in place principles of human rights, security and peace. The Model Police Act further prescribes the role, functions and powers of the police service. It also has provisions that speak to the operational independence, conduct, and conditions of employment for police officers.

During the session, the Zambian Parliament was represented by Professor Geoffrey Lungwangwa, MP (Leader of Delegation), Hon Margaret Miti, MP (First Vice Chairperson of the PAP Women’s Caucus), Hon Anthony Mumba, MP and Hon Maxas Bweupe Ng’onga, MP.