EALA SPEAKER MEETS RT HON MUTURI AT THE KENYA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
East African Legislative Assembly, Nairobi, Kenya: July 6, 2016: EALA Speaker has paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly, Rt. Hon Justin Muturi at his Chambers in Parliament.
The discussions delved on integration matters with both Speakers calling for concerted efforts to strengthen the East African Community for prosperity.
Rt Hon Kidega informed his counterpart from the Kenya National Assembly that EALA was looking forward to the operationalization of the East African Parliamentary Institute (EAPI) in the Financial Year 2016-17 which commenced on July 1, 2016. He remarked that the Council of Ministers was expected to dispense with the matter at its next Meeting.
On the Inter-Parliamentary Games, Rt. Hon Kidega hailed the Parliament of Kenya for accepting to host the Games, the seventh in the series, in December this year. The Inter-Parliamentary Games, are to be preceded by the Inter-Parliamentary Relations Seminar (Nanyuki Series) and the EALA Plenary.
Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly, Rt Hon Justin Muturi said Kenya National Assembly was supportive of the regional initiatives and was similarly looking forward to the operationalization of the EAPI to build capacities of Parliamentarians and staff of the legislatures in the region.
He remarked that EALA could learn a great deal about issues revolving around financial and administrative autonomy from its sister Parliaments in the Partner States in order to explore application of the same in its context. The Council of Ministers at the 33rd Meeting held in February 2016 in Arusha granted the Assembly financial and administrative autonomy.
Rt Hon Muturi said it was vital for the EAC Treaty to be reviewed and amended to anchor the progress realized.
Under Article 65 of the Treaty for the EAC, EALA collaborates with National Assemblies with the Clerk among other things transmitting copies of Acts of the Community to be laid before the National Assemblies for information.
Notes to Editors
EAST AFRICAN PARLIAMENTARY INSTITUTE
In September 2011, EALA passed the East African Parliamentary Institute (EAPI) Bill, 2011 providing the legal framework for the establishment of the Institute. The EAPI Act inter alia establishes a mechanism for capacity and skills development to promote professionalism through establishment of the institute thus giving effect to article 5 (1) of the Treaty.
EAPI’s main objectives include:
- providing a concentrated and relevant orientation program for new legislators and staff;
- providing Parliamentarians, Staff, Government Officials, Civil Society Organizations and other interested parties with an opportunity to exchange ideas in the context of their own experiences, knowledge, procedures and best practices in their legislatures;
- enabling legislators to be responsive to global changes;
- linking and collaborating with similar institutions globally.
The EAPI aims at enabling beneficiaries better appreciate their role and place in the overall context of the Parliamentary system, leading to informed articulation of issues in relation to Parliamentary affairs. This is likely to address existing lacuna given the fact that not all Members elected to the August House have requisite training in legislation, oversight and representation – which are the core roles of Parliament.
-Ends-
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
