The Assembly commended President Pierre Nkurunziza for the concise exposition of the EAC policy contained in the State of the EAC address to the Assembly on Tuesday, April 5, 2011, during the 4th Meeting of the 4th session held in Kigali.
Similarly, the Head of State called for the improvement of roads and infrastructure that connect agricultural production areas to markets and industrial centers as fundamental in the integration dispensation, a move the deputy Minister commended. “In this regard, the Council of Ministers supports the fact that focus on infrastructure development cannot be limited to regional inter-connections alone, but that, it must extend to the improvement of national infrastructure in general, as the Chairperson recently said”, Hon Sadaala added.
In the debate today, Members rose in support of the motion and stressed adherence to the key drivers of integration as articulated by the Chairperson to enable integration “remain on track”.
The Members urged the EAC to think of instituting in place a mechanism that would enable EALA and the Summit of Heads of State to collectively engage. “The legislative arm should interface to have a useful and productive opportunity to interact with the Summit, the same way we do with the EAC Council of Ministers”, Hon. Mike Sebalu, EALA MP said as he rose to support the motion.
In the recent past, both President Jakaya Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania and President Pierre Nkurunziza of the Republic of Burundi have traveled to Nairobi, Kenya and Kigali, Rwanda, respectively, to deliver the State of the EAC Addresses. This is a break from the past where the delivery of the State of the EAC Address was a preserve left to Arusha.
The Members urged the region to ensure the challenges contained in the State of EAC Address were addressed to ensure the smooth integration.
The Assembly opened last week with the adjournment by a week of the debate on the East African Community Service Commission Bill, 2010. The adjournment followed the motion brought to the floor of the House by Kenya’s Assistant Minister of the East African Community, Hon Peter Munya, to allow for more consultations by the EAC Council of Ministers.
The Assembly also witnessed the swearing in of the EAC Secretary General, Amb.Dr. Richard Sezibera as an ex-officio Member.
The EAC Elections Bill 2008 was also withdrawn from the House after it failed to sail through in its second reading. This means in future, any Bill of such a nature, shall need to be re-introduced and tabled afresh.
The move followed support in favour of a report analyzing the Bill submitted to the House in September 2010 by the Legal Rules and Privileges Committee. The report presented then by Hon. Frederich Ngenzebuhoro, Chairperson of the EALA Legal, Rules and Privileges Committee, had sought responses on the EAC Elections Bill, 2008 from various entities among others: the Civil Society Organizations, the Partner States and the EAC Council of Ministers.
The report of the Committee stated that stakeholders consulted had in their responses among other areas, found it premature to create an East African Electoral Commission to handle elections in the region. They instead recommended inter alia, institution of guidelines and policies for good governance, elections and human rights in the region. The report further called on the region to await political agreements among the Partner States and the harmonization of constitutional provisions and laws on elections in the region as a core for convergence principles forming the basis for a Political Federation.
The Assembly is expected to close business on Thursday, May 26, 2011.
-End-
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
