Assembly commences sitting in Arusha

East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, December 13, 2018: The 3^rd Meeting of the 2^nd Session of the Assembly has commenced in Arusha. The session which commenced on December 11^th, 2018 runs through to December 22^nd, 2018.

Key reports to be brought to the House during the period include that of the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution on the status of the EAC Partner States refugees in Uganda.  The Committee recently completed a tour of the camps in Kiryandongo Refugee Camp (Masindi District in Central Uganda) and at the Nakivaale Refugee Settlement Scheme in (Isingiro District in Western Uganda).  The report of the EAC Audited Financial Statements for the FY ended 30^th June 2017 is also returning to the House for debate and possible adoption. The report was not adopted by the House at its last sitting in Arusha with the House requesting the Committee on Accounts chaired by Hon Dr Ngwaru Maghembe, to revise the recommendations contained therein to make them more-timely bound and actionable. Another report coming forth is that of the oversight activity of the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment (CTI) on the status of the EAC Customs Single Territory. The Committee recently concluded oversight work on the status of the single customs territory in the Partner States.  The Assembly is now expected to receive and debate on the report.

The Sitting is also to be interspersed in Week 1 by rigorous Committee work.  The six Committees are;

the Committee on Accounts,
the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources,
the Committee on General Purpose,
the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution,
the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment,
the Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges.

The whole House shall also receive a presentation by the East African Civil Society Organizations’ Forum who in conjunction with the EAC Department of Political Federation met to discuss pertinent issues on the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.

NOTE TO EDITORS ABOUT EALA

The East African Legislative Assembly is the Legislative Organ of the East African Community. Its Membership consists of a total of 62, of whom 54 are elected Members (9 from each Partner State) and eight ex-officio members (the Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs from the Partner States, the Secretary General of the Community and the Counsel to the Community).

The East African Legislative Assembly has legislative functions as well as oversight of all East African Community matters.  The enactment of legislation of the Community is put in effect by means of Bills passed by the Assembly and assented to by the Heads of State, and every Bill that has been duly passed and assented to become an Act of the Community and takes precedent over similar legislations in the Partner States.  EALA has to date passed 79 pieces of legislation.

-ENDS-

For more information, contact

Bobi Odiko,

Senior Public Relations Officer,

East African Legislative Assembly,

P.O. Box 1096, Arusha, Tanzania.

Cell. +255-787-870945

Email: BOdiko@eachq.org.

Web: www.eala.org