East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania: July 4, 2016: EALA has commenced a two-day Annual Planning Meeting in Nairobi to carve out a roadmap for its activities in the Financial Year 2016/17.
EALA Speaker, Rt Hon Daniel Fred Kidega, opened the meeting today reiterating the importance of planning, which he said, will consider the annual work plan and plenary activities of the Assembly between now and June 2017.
“The Commission places emphasis on the critical exercise of planning and the full participation of Committee Chairpersons and staff in the exercise. Planning is a pre-requisite which assists in mapping our activities and ensures the resources put to efficient use”, Rt Hon Kidega stated.
The Speaker lauded the Members and staff of EALA for the landmark activities held in the last Financial Year and cited new and unique areas that the Assembly undertook.
“The hosting of the founding EAC First Ladies and the enhanced sensitisation and outreach of the citizens of EAC are examples of key areas that we succeeded in doing during the last Financial Year. As we enter the last year of work of the third Assembly, let us commit to enhancing the reputation of the Assembly even further”, he said.
In attendance are EALA Commission, Chairpersons of Standing Committees and key technical staff.
During the planning meeting, the legislative calendar for plenary and committees for the Financial Year 2016/ 2017, is to be unpacked and aligned with EALA’s overall legislative, oversight, and representative functions as per the approved budget for the Financial Year.
The activity is preceded by review of the last Financial Year (2015/2016). The planning activity is using the principle of equity and equality in terms of activities to be planned for.
Annual planning is a tradition that has been carried out by EALA since the 2nd Assembly with the EALA Commission and Chairpersons of the Standing Committees planning the annual activities together.
The Assembly holds six Plenaries in the Partner States in the year as well as a number of Committee undertakings. EALA’s Committees are: The Committee on Accounts, the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources, the Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges and the Committee on Communications, Trade and Investment. Others are the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution and the Committee on General Purpose.
All Committees are expected to undertake 3 activities in the year with the exception of the Committee on General Purpose which has one additional activity, due to the nature of its work that handles the social sectors, the Budget and Annual Report.
The tenure of the 3rd Assembly is expected to end on June 4th, 2017.
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For more Information, contact: Bobi Odiko, Senior Public Relations Officer;
East African Legislative Assembly; Tel: +255-27-2508240 Cell: +255 787 870945+254-733-718036; Email: bodiko@eachq.org
Web: https://www.eala.org
Arusha, Tanzania
