East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, November 24th 2021: EALA debated and passed the EAC Integrity and Anti-Corruption Bill,2019 yesterday at the 1st sitting of the 2nd meeting of the 5th session.
The Session, which got underway on Tuesday, November 16th, 2021, runs until December 3rd, 2021.
The enactment of this bill delivers another telling blow against corruption, marking an important stage in the series of incessant, decisive steps taken by the regional members to clean up the system emphasizing on transparency and accountability on public resources and individuals entrusted.
The Bill envisages the promotion of good governance, transparency and accountability in the EAC Organs and Institutions.
The object of the Bill is to promote integrity and ethical values within the Organs and Institutions of the Community; to strengthen the legal framework for preventing and combating corruption in the Community; to provide for cooperation by the national anti-corruption agencies in preventing and combating corruption and related matters.
The Bill further envisages corruption and corrupt practices as undermining effective and efficient utilization of the resources available to the Organs and Institutions of the Community and practices that derail the Community from deepening and widening integration.
The Bill moved for first reading in February 2019, is in line with Article 6 (d) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community which states that “the fundamental principles that shall govern the achievement of the objectives of the Community by the Partner States shall include: good governance, including adherence to the principles of democracy, the rule of law, accountability, transparency, social justice, equal opportunities, gender equality, as well as the recognition, promotion and protection of human and people’s rights in accordance with the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ rights”.
The Bill is now to be forwarded to the EAC Heads of State for assent in line with Article 63 of the Treaty for the EAC.
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
EALA Media Team
East African Legislative Assembly.
Tel: +255-765746904
Web: https://www.eala.org
