Background

Over the years, more and more Parliaments in Africa have ceased to rely on the Offices of the Attorney-General or the ministries responsible for justice and legal affairs for the provision of legal services and have instead, engaged in-house counsel to provide independent legal services to Parliament. The Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments was therefore established as a forum through which Legal Counsel serving in Parliaments would meet, share their experiences and learn from each other with the aim of enhancing their role in the delivery of sound, professional and independent legal advice to their respective Parliaments.

Objectives of the Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments

The overall purpose of the Africa Colloquium is networking and sharing of information amongst Legal Counsel serving in Parliaments across Africa.

The objectives of the Colloquium are the –

1. interaction, networking and inter-linkage between Legal Counsel serving the Parliaments of different jurisdictions in Africa;

2. examination and enhancement of the functions and roles of Legal Counsel serving in the Parliaments of Africa;

3. examination of the functional inter-linkages of Legal Counsel and other officers serving in Parliaments, the other arms of Government, the legal fraternity and the public;

4. sharing of modern trends and best-practices in the provision of legal services to Parliaments;

5. examination of contemporary legal and parliamentary issues and questions;

6. promotion of the work of Legal Counsel;

7. promotion of capacity building of Legal Counsel serving in Parliament; and

8. the networking and co-operation with Associations with similar objectives.

Administration of the Colloquium

Council to the Colloquium

The Council to the Colloquium Committee was established pursuant to a resolution passed by delegates at the 2nd Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments held from 3rd to 7th November, 2013, at the Laico Hotel, Nairobi Kenya.

The functions of the Council to the Colloquium are to –

(a)  provide policy oversight and direction to the Secretariat;

(b)  work with the next host country to plan and prepare for the next Colloquium;

(c)  coordinate implementation of the objectives of the Colloquium;

(d)  keep members regularly updated on Colloquium matters; and

(e)  liaise with partners for resource mobilization.

The current Council members were elected during the 5^th Colloquium held in The Pan-African Parliament, Midrand, South Africa and consist of the following members –

1. Mussa Kombo - President of the Colloquium;
2. Samhouna Assouman - Vice President of the Colloquium & Regional Parliaments Representative;
3. Cusana Shongwe - Southern Region Representative;
4. Solomon Kirunda - Eastern Region Representative;
5. Lamin M. Dibba - Western Region Representative;
6. Clement Mavungu - Council Member;
7. Zuraya Adhikarie - Council Member; and
8. Dr. Johnson Okello - Secretary General of the Council.

5^th Colloquium

Date: 28^th October, 2019 to 31^st October, 2019

Venue: Pan African Parliament, Midrand, South Africa

Theme: Efficient and Effective Parliaments in Africa: The Role of Legal Counsel

Calendar of Events

Sixth Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments

The 6^th Africa Colloquium of Legal Counsel to Parliaments will be held on 1^st November, 2022 to 3^rd November, 2022 at Zanzibar.

The Proposed Theme for the 6^th Colloquium is “A decade of operationalization of the Nairobi Principles: Successes, Challenges and Way forward”

Below is the Colloquium Secretariat Contact Persons: 

1.  Dr. Johnson Okello, Secretary General of the Africa Colloquium Council,

            The Chairperson of the Conference Organizing Secretariat - Kenya,

            Telephone: +254-20 2848000

            Email address: africacolloquium@gmail.com or okothokello@yahoo.co.uk

2. Ms. Elizabeth Muhia, Principal Legal Counsel,

            The Conference Organizing Secretary - Kenya,

            Telephone: +254-20 2848000

            Email address: Lmuhia3@gmail.com or emuhia@parliament.go.ke