Inter-Parliamentary Games Kick off in Kampala on December 8th

As the Council for East and Central Africa Football Association (CECAFA) Senior Challenge championship enters a crucial stage in Nairobi, focus similarly turns to the annual Inter-Parliamentary Games 2013, which kicks off on December 8, 2013 in Kampala, Uganda.

The Inter-Parliamentary games brings together football and netball teams from the National Assemblies and EALA/EAC in a two week extravaganza that shall see legislators swop their oratory and debating skills with fine deft moves and passes on the field of play.

In soccer, defending champions, Parliament of Uganda are angling themselves to keep the trophy should they win it for a third time in a row. Though home ground advantage favours the Parliament of Uganda, it is going to be a tough contest when they face-off with Parliament of Burundi in the opening match on December 8 at the Nakivubo Stadium.

In the second match of the day, last year’s runner-up, EALA takes on the Kenya National Assembly at the same venue.  On Monday, December 9, Uganda shall lock horns with Rwanda while Parliament of Tanzania battles with EALA.

Last year, Parliament of Uganda narrowly beat EAC/EALA team 5-4 in post-match penalties in the finals at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi, Kenya. In regular time, both teams drew 0-0.

In Netball, Kenya National Assembly will face the Parliament of Uganda in the opener on December 8, 2013 before defending champions, Parliament of Tanzania, play EALA in the second match of the day at the Nakivubo indoor stadium.  The Parliament of Tanzania will be hoping that fate and favour revisits them once again. Last year, the team was crowned champions after beating Uganda 51-27 in the finals.

Both soccer and netball shall be played on a round-robin format with the group winners and runners-up expected to go into the semi-finals.   All teams from the Partner States have been in residential training and are expected in the country no later than Saturday. 

The EAC-EALA teams arrived in Kampala on December 1, 2013 and have been going through the training paces in readiness for the tournament while the contingent of Parliament of Rwanda is expected in Kampala on December 7 according to one of the players, Hon Jean Marie Vianney Gatabazi. Burundi National Assembly has also confirmed arrival tomorrow, Friday, December 6, 2013.

The Inter-Parliamentary games are a key aspect of building relations between the EALA and the National Assemblies in the EAC region.  The games play a fundamental part in enabling EALA’s interaction with Members of the National Parliaments in the Partner States as envisaged in Article 49 (2a) of the Treaty for the Establishment of EAC. At the same time, such games enhance interaction with the citizenry of the Partner States and as a mode of sensitization popularizing the Integration process.

NOTE TO EDITORS
The EAC (EALA) mooted the idea of the liaising with other Parliaments through football in 2001.  Then, EALA hosted a special tournament to mark the occasion of its establishment in Arusha, Tanzania.

However, it was not until November 2009 that EALA organised the initial Inter-Parliamentary football tournament.  EALA has continued to organise the games as the co-ordinator and works closely with the hosting National Assembly/Parliament to ensure successful tournaments.

The EAC Speakers at their 4th Speakers’ Forum held in the same month agreed to have the Inter-Parliamentary games held on an annual and rotational basis.  At the same time, the Speakers’ Forum urged all National Assemblies/Parliaments to have a permanent budget line for the tournament.

EALA has institutionalized the tournament in its calendar of activities. The tournament currently features football and netball. The opportunity is also used to hold other activities in the social, intellectual and political fields.

FIXTURES FOR THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY INTER-PARLIAMENTARY SPORTS TOURNAMENT DECEMBER 8^th - 14^th 2013 KAMPALA, UGANDA

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For more information, contact:
Bobi Odiko,
Senior Public Relations Officer,
East African Legislative Assembly,
Tel: Cell: +255-787-870945, +254-733-718036, + 256-785-873544.
Email: Bodiko@eachq.org