EALA elects new Committees’ Chairpersons

East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, July 6^th2020: Committees of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), today elected respective Chairpersons to serve the 4^th Assembly for the balance of its life (of two and a half years).  The elections which took place this afternoon via a virtual process, completes the transition of Members in to new Committees. The six Chairpersons elected today (and the new Committee Members who were elected last week), take their mandate on Saturday, August 1^st, 2020, at the expiry of the current Committees (constituted on 30^th, July 2018).

Of the 6 Committees, only the Committee on Accounts whose chair was reserved for Republic of Kenya, saw a contest between two candidates, Hon Kennedy Kalonzo Musyoka and Hon Abdikadir Aden, on the ballot.   Hon Kennedy Kalonzo Musyoka was elected after garnering 10 votes against 8 votes for Hon Aden. Other proposed candidates for five Standing Committees, were elected unopposed.

On June 24^th, 2020, the Commission made a decision to reserve the chair of each Standing Committee to a Partner State in accordance with the tradition of the Assembly. The Commission handed the Chair of the Committee on Accounts to Kenya, Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges to Republic of South Sudan and the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources to the United Republic of Tanzania.  The Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution was earmarked for Republic of Rwanda, Committee on General Purpose, reserved for Republic of Uganda, while Republic of Burundi, takes the mantle in leading the Committee on Communications, Trade and Investment.

The elections, held under Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly was done through electronic voting and presided over by the presiding officer (office of the Clerk).  Under the guidelines developed by EALA, where only one Member has been duly nominated, such Member shall be considered to be duly elected a chairperson unopposed. In event that more than one Member gets duly nominated to be elected as Chairperson, such Members shall be subjected to a vote.

The newly elected Chairpersons of the standing Committees of the House are:

1. The Committee on Accounts – Hon Kennedy Kalonzo.Musyoka.
2. The Committee on Legal, Rules and Privileges – Hon Kennedy Mukulia Ayason.
3. The Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment – Hon Christopher Nduwayo.
4. The Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources – Hon Dr Abdullah H. Makame.
5. The Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution – Hon Amb Ndangiza Fatuma.
6. The Committee on General Purpose – Hon Denis Namaara.

The elections of the Chairpersons follow the recent nomination of Members to the various Standing Committees of the House. Each elected Member of the serves on two committees and membership is eighteen members, while quorum is at least half of the Members. Article 49(2) (e) of the Treaty provides that the Assembly may for purposes of carrying out its functions, establish any Committee or Committees for such purposes it deems necessary;

The functions of the Committee include examining, discussing and recommending to the House on all bills laid before the House, initiating bills within their respective mandate and examining policy matters affecting their subject areas.   The Standing Committees also carry out research in their respective mandate, assess activities of the Community and examine the Community’s recurrent and capital budget estimates.

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 over 80 pieces of legislation.

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For more information, contact
Bobi Odiko, Senior Public Relations Officer, East African Legislative Assembly. Tel: +255-27 2508240 Fax: +255-27-2503103, Cell: +255-787-870945 +254-733-718036 Email: BOdiko@eachq.org, Web: https://www.eala.org