Why Speaker Moses Wetangula is in India

Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula has traveled to New Delhi, India, to participate in the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC).

In a statement on Saturday, January 10, Wetangula said he is leading a Kenyan delegation to the prestigious parliamentary gathering, where they were received by Ambassador Mary Mutuku, Kenya's Deputy High Commissioner to India.

The Speaker expressed optimism about the conference, stating that he anticipates productive discussions on strengthening parliamentary cooperation among Commonwealth nations amid changing international dynamics.

"Looking forward to fruitful engagements and specifically on how further collaboration can enhance Parliamentary Diplomacy across member states in the face of the shifting global policy," Wetangula stated.

The Conference brings together parliamentary leaders from Commonwealth nations to discuss matters of mutual interest and strengthen legislative cooperation among member states.

The Conference functions as an independent entity, separate from other Commonwealth bodies including the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Commonwealth Secretariat, and the Commonwealth Heads of Government.

Operating on a two-year cycle, CSPOC convenes a full membership conference biennially, typically in early January, alongside a Standing Committee meeting during the intervening year.

The Conference's mandate centers on three core objectives: maintaining and encouraging impartiality and fairness among Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments, and promoting greater knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its diverse manifestations.

The conference also aims to promote the development of robust parliamentary institutions across member nations.

Some of the commonwealth member states include from Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, the Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia.

Asian members comprise Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, the Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.

From the Caribbean and the Americas region, the Commonwealth includes Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago, among other territories.