Tanzania National Assembly Speaker Mussa Azzan Zungu assumed the presidency of the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Arusha on Tuesday.
Mussa Azzan Zungu Leads the 153rd IPU Assembly
National Assembly Speaker Mussa Azzan Zungu was elected President of the 153rd IPU Assembly on Tuesday, an appointment proposed by United Kingdom House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle. Mr Zungu called the decision a significant diplomatic milestone that reflects growing international recognition of Tanzania within the global parliamentary community.
Mr Zungu pointed out that Sir Lindsay’s attendance marked the first time in roughly four decades that a UK House of Commons Speaker had visited an IPU assembly held in Tanzania.
The five-day conference encompasses various statutory bodies, among them the Governing Council, Standing Committees, the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians, and the Committee on Middle East Questions.
Global Leaders Demand Institutional Trust
The five-day assembly opened on Monday at the Arusha International Conference Centre, drawing more than 2,000 delegates from 183 member parliaments. President Samia Suluhu Hassan delivered a virtual address calling on the Inter-Parliamentary Union to strengthen the role of parliaments in addressing geopolitical uncertainties and protracted conflicts that undermine Sustainable Development Goals.
“Conflicts, climate change and economic uncertainties affect countries in different ways, and most of these challenges require international cooperation.”
President Samia Suluhu Hassan, via The Citizen
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also addressed the assembly virtually, emphasizing that rebuilding public trust depends on inclusive institutions and accountable governments. South African National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza echoed those priorities during the general debate, telling delegates that implementation remains the true test of democratic commitments.
Many countries today do not suffer from a shortage of laws, policies, or institutions. Nor is there a shortage of commitments to inclusion, equality and participation.
Speaker Thoko Didiza, via Allafrica
Speaker Didiza pointed out that South Africa has established democratic institutions, a judicial system that acts independently, an active civil society, and a constitutional system safeguarding the rights and freedoms of everyone.
Delegations Hold Bilateral Talks in Arusha
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh met with Mr Zungu on Tuesday to discuss deepening parliamentary cooperation, capacity building, and skill development between India and Tanzania. The Indian delegation includes Lok Sabha members Anurag Singh Thakur, Aparajita Sarangi, Sanjay Jaiswal, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Lata Wankhede, Bijuli Kalita Medhi, and N.K. Premachandran, alongside Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra.
Elections Scheduled to Choose the Next IPU President
Prime Minister Dr Mwigulu Nchemba addressed the assembly on Monday evening, highlighting Tanzania’s investments in oversight bodies such as the Controller and Auditor General, which received more than 132 billion shillings in the 2026/27 financial year to manage public resources prudently. Officials also commended outgoing IPU President Dr Tulia Ackson, whose three-year tenure concludes with elections scheduled for October 9, 2026.
The race to succeed Dr Ackson as IPU president features three contenders: Sahiba Gafarova, who serves as Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis; Milton Dick, Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives; and Chilean Senator Rojo Edwards Silva.