East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Members commenced the tour of Kenya in the respective counties of Mombasa and Kilifi - urging citizens to fully embrace regional integration. In Mombasa, EALA paid a courtesy call on the County Governor, H.E. Hassan Ali Joho where they seized the opportunity to sensitise Executives of the County Government. Governor Joho announced that Mombasa was set to launch a free port facility in the next four months.
“My County Government is keen on facilitating all prospects for investments and creation of opportunities. We shall ensure that we diversify the port services given its tremendous potential to the EAC”, he remarked. Today, the port of Rotterdam for example, is fifteen times more efficient than our port. I believe that with some focus, we can replicate the success right at the Mombasa port”, he added.
H.E. Joho urged the Members of the County Assembly to enact legislation in tandem with that of EALA. The Bills enacted by the EALA supercede the Partner States Bills on matters related to the Treaty.
The Senator of Mombasa, Hon Hassan Omar called for a change of mindset to spur development of the region. He urged the EALA to use every opportunity to sensitise the masses on the benefits of integration.
EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa said the coastal area was the melting pot of integration and added that developments at the EAC were taking place on a high pitch.
“This is reflected by the encouraging progress and remarkable strides taken with regard to the implementation of the EAC Customs Union, the Common Market Protocol and the recent signing (November 2013) of the Monetary Union Protocol” the EALA Speaker stated.
In attendance were several Executives of the County Government. In her brief remarks, the Deputy Governor, Hazel Katana termed health, education and environmental matters as some of the sectors that were considered a priority of the County Government.
In Kilifi, the legislators met with the County Governor, H.E. Amason Kingi. The Governor maintained that the EAC was non-reversible and challenged EALA to continue with its legislative and oversight activities. He noted that East Africans were looking forward to reaping the benefits that integration has to offer. Governor Kingi, a former Minister for East African Community remarked that his County Government was keen to see the full implementation of the pillars of integration.
The Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa said the Assembly would enhance its outreach activities with different stakeholders in order to popularize integration. Present at the meeting were the Senator of Kilifi, Hon Stewart Madzayo, Speaker of the County Assembly of Kilifi, Rt. Hon Kadhua Jimmy Kahindi among other top county government officials.
Yesterday, EALA commenced the ten day tour with an extensive tour of the Kenya Ports Authority, holding discussions with the Port’s senior management led by the Managing Director, Gichiri Ndua.
The legislators shall travel to Nairobi where they are expected to engage with a number of stakeholders. They include meetings with the top leadership of the Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project, Project, Konza Techno City, Vision 2030 Secretariat as well as the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) and the East African Business Council (EABC).
EALA also has a date with the University of Nairobi’s School of Health, identified as one of the EAC Centres of Excellence, as well as interactive sessions with Parliamentary and Senate Committees and civil society groupings.
The ten-day tour seeks to enable EALA to appreciate the diversity of the people and the development initiatives that Kenya has to offer to the region. At the same time, the legislators shall interact directly with citizens and hear their views, aspirations and fears on the integration process. The EALA Members are also expected to get first-hand experience on the workings of a devolved government following the promulgation of the Constitution in Kenya in 2010.
Ends
For more information, contact:
Bobi Odiko,
Senior Public Relations Officer,
East African Legislative Assembly,
Tel: Cell: +255-787-870945, +254-733-718036.
Email: Bodiko@eachq.org
