Why the world needs robust parliaments

DAR ES SALAAM: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan’s call for parliaments across the world to become more active, united and accountable comes at an important moment.

As nations grapple with armed conflicts, climate change, economic uncertainty and widening social pressures, strong parliamentary institutions are needed not only to scrutinise governments but also to help build solutions that command public confidence.

Speaking at the opening of the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Arusha, President Dr Samia rightly reminded legislators that their responsibility does not end with passing laws.

Parliamentarians are entrusted by citizens to protect the public interest, scrutinise the use of public resources and demand answers from those exercising executive power.

That responsibility is fundamental to good governance. Governments require sufficient authority to implement policies and respond to national challenges, but such authority must be accompanied by effective oversight.

A parliament that fails to ask difficult questions, examine public expenditure or challenge decisions that may harm citizens risks weakening the very democratic system it is meant to protect.

This is particularly important when public resources are under pressure. Citizens deserve to know how their taxes and other national resources are being used, whether development programmes are delivering value and whether government commitments are producing the promised results.

Parliamentary oversight must help ensure that accountability is not merely a constitutional principle but a practical reality. At the same time, today’s major challenges increasingly cross-national borders. Climate change does not respect boundaries.

Conflicts can trigger displacement, food insecurity and economic disruption far beyond the countries where they begin. Global economic shocks can affect employment, prices and investment across continents. Such problems cannot be addressed by governments acting in isolation.

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They require international cooperation, and parliaments have an important role to play in sustaining that cooperation.

Through platforms such as the IPU, legislators exchange experiences, learn from different approaches and build relationships that complement government-to-government diplomacy.

Trust between citizens and institutions is one of the foundations of stable societies. That trust can only be maintained when people feel that their voices matter and that public institutions are responsive to their needs.

Parliaments must consequently remain accessible, representative and responsive. They should listen to citizens, including marginalised groups and young people, while ensuring that national debates are guided by facts, evidence and the long-term public interest.

The Arusha Assembly offers parliamentarians an opportunity to turn these principles into practical commitments. Its success should ultimately be measured not by the quality of speeches delivered, but by the strength of the cooperation, accountability and reforms that follow.

A troubled world needs strong governments but it equally needs strong parliaments capable of holding power to account, defending public interests and working across borders for common solutions.

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