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Every decision a parliament makes affects the lives of citizens. A poorly crafted law can harm various segments of the population, impacting development for years. Parliaments’ primary functions—lawmaking, oversight, and representation are critical to ensuring good governance, accountability, and transparency. Therefore, the actions of parliaments in Africa should matter to all citizens and, above all, be guided by evidence. These insights were highlighted at the African Regional Conference on Parliament and Legislation, where Dr Eliya Zulu, AFIDEP’s Executive Director, spoke on the critical role of Parliaments in driving Africa’s development.

In his remarks, Dr Zulu emphasised how parliaments in Africa can help reinforce accountability in service delivery and curb the misappropriation of resources through corruption. “Indeed, we cannot ignore the elephant in the room: corruption. Every year, billions of dollars are lost due to mismanagement, inefficiencies, and outright theft,” he noted. He further specified that corruption costs the continent over $140 billion annually—more than enough to finance critical sectors like education and healthcare.

Dr Zulu also highlighted Africa’s growing debt burden, with many countries struggling under unsustainable debt levels. He called on the continent to ask hard questions: What are we borrowing for? What is the return on investment? Are these funds translating into real development gains?

A key point raised was the need for stronger financial scrutiny. With Parliaments tasked with budgeting, how can we ensure that funds deliver the intended outcomes? Africa’s future hinges on how we grow the economy and ensure meaningful improvements in people’s wellbeing. This requires creating an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish, generate economic growth, and create jobs for Africa’s youth.

As he concluded, Dr Zulu reiterated that sustainable development on the continent will only be achieved if African governments and parliaments alike take ownership of and drive the development agenda.

AFIDEP’s work on governance and accountability has primarily focused on collaborating with African parliaments to institutionalise strategies that enhance their oversight, representative, and legislative functions.

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