The EALA Session continued this afternoon with the introduction of four new Bills and the adoption of a Report of the Committee on Agriculture and National Resources and on Agriculture. The Bills that successfully went through the First Reading are the East African Community Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2014, the East African Community Co-operative Societies Bill, 2014, the East African Community Cross Border Legal Practice Bill, 2014 and the East African Community Integration (Education) Bill, 2014.
The object of the EAC Co-operative Societies Bill, 2014 moved by Hon Mike Sebalu is to provide a legal framework for Co-operative Societies in line with Article 128 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC strengthening the role of private sector as an effective force for developing economies.
The Bill is divided into ten parts. Part 1 deals with preliminary matters. However, according to Hon Sebalu, Clause 3 lays down objectives of Co-operative Societies which include: solving problems collectively, co-coordinating knowledge and skills and promoting self reliance amongst Members. The rest of the areas contained in the Bill deal with the formation, rights and duties of Members and Privileges. Other areas include the assets and liabilities, settlement of disputes and winding up/dissolution of Societies.
A new Bill that seeks to conduct and regulate Cross Border Practice is also in the offing. Hon Dora Byamukama’s Bill entitled the EAC Cross Border Legal Practice Bill, 2014 seeks to operationalise Article 76 of the Treaty providing for free movement of labour, goods, services capital and the rights to establishment. It also takes into cognizance of the mutual recognition of the academic and professional qualifications.
In a move that shall see East Africans equipped with necessary skills and information about the EAC, a new Bill is set to be debated. The EAC Integration (Education) Bill, 2014, tabled by Hon Abubakar Zein Abubakar, is anchored on Article 7 of the EAC Treaty, providing for people- centeredness and a market driven economy. According to the mover, the respective national institutions currently responsible for conducting civic education in the Partner States are proposed to be national focal points for the purposes of the Bill.
Meanwhile, the Assembly debated and approved the report of the Oversight Study Mission to assess policy and production constraints affecting the livestock sector in the region. The Report emanates from Stakeholders Consultation in Kenya by the Agriculture and Natural Resources Thereafter, the team was sub-divided into two and they covered Bujumbura, Dar es Salaam, Kampala and Kigali. The consultations were held in the Partner States between September 29th , 2013 to October 5th , 2013. In terms of the findings, the report states that Agriculture and Food Security are not getting due attention with low budgetary allocation.
It indicates that currently out of the budgetary allocation of 10% allocated to agriculture and livestock, under 3% is often avail in most of the cases. It further reports that there is limited knowledge about the potential for livestock production in the Partner States. Poor control of transboundary animal diseases at EAC border posts is also an inhibiting factor. The Committee thus urges the Partner States to take advantage of the research undertaken by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) to benefit the national livestock development programmes. It wants the Partner States to rope in on the best practices and emulate the same. The East African Community Secretariat is urged to adequately its Livestock section to enable it efficiently play its co-ordination role. The Secretariat is also tasked to fasttrack the finalization and operationalisation of the Livestock Protocols.
Arising from the report, EALA is to enact legislation governing livestock to facilitate integration and the harmonization of national laws.
At debate, the report received overwhelming support from Hon Saoli ole Nkanae, Hon Frederic Ngenzebuhoro and Hon Christophe Bazivamo. Others were Hon Abubakar Zein, Hon Nusura Tiperu, Hon Abubakar Ogle, Hon Judith Pareno and Hon Sarah Bonaya.
DOWNLOAD: REPORT OF THE OVERSIGHT STUDY MISSION TO ASSESS POLICY AND PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS AFFECTING THE LIVESTOCK SECTOR IN EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
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