President Uhuru Kenyatta has today addressed the 3rd Meeting of the 2nd Session of the 3rd East African Legislative Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. The President maintained that the EAC was on course, irreversible and unstoppable. “Over time we have mustered such an unstoppable momentum that we are now assured of realizing it if not too far in the future.
The people of East Africa are interacting at such a rising rate and exchanging information, goods and services in such growing volumes, that our borders have become mere formalities”, he noted.
President Kenyatta remarked that the Monetary Union Protocol to be signed next week, (November 30, 2013) shall strengthen regional competition, address costs of financial transactions and reduce risks.
“Globally, the EAMU is expected to send a long term statement of our long term commitment to deepen regional investment. Such a statement will assure investors that East Africa is a genuine single market and an attractive place for business, the President noted, adding that EAMU was also a political statement of the Partner States’ commitment to a shared destiny as East Africans and not just a group of neighbouring states.
“Without a doubt, we must institute mechanisms of implementing EAMU but legislators must also enact laws and offer oversight to the satisfactory achievement of EAMU”, he added.
The Head of State noted that the Government of Kenya would fully support the sensitization of the communities by EALA.
“The citizens have a good opportunity to learn of the processes while EALA has a chance to enhance legislative output and this is good for integration. The integration must be accompanied by interactive and intensive civic education exercise carried out by EALA”, President Kenyatta remarked.
He congratulated the EALA for holding the Sessions in Nairobi. He lauded the rotational principle of the Sittings stating that it enriched interaction between the Assembly and the citizens of the region.
The President noted that the Community was on the verge of prosperous economic development and better quality of life. He called on EALA Members to come up with bankable resolutions that make a difference to the People of the region.
The Head of State called on the Assembly to find innovative ways of easing integration noting that collaboration with national parliaments were key.
The President however remarked that NTBs continued to plague the costs of doing business and exploitation of market opportunities. “They significantly erode the competitiveness of business. Kenya is fully committed to reduce NTBs and we have taken significant administrative steps to reduce NTBs and speed up movement of cargo”, he remarked.
The President noted that political means of boosting integration was necessary but at the same time called on EALA to offer complimentary legislative solutions.
The Head of State reiterated the need for the full implementation of the Common Market Protocol.
The President urged the EALA to ensure the integration process was fully people-centred. He urged the Assembly to encourage the widespread use of Kiswahili as a means of lingua franca.
In her welcome remarks, the Speaker of the EALA, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa noted that the Assembly was taking place at an irreversible time in the regional integration process. She noted the envisaged entry of the Monetary Union as key in the integration process.
The Speaker urged Partner States to move with haste to implement the Common Market Protocol.
“It also behooves upon the Community to fully realise the Common Market Protocol. We must act and act decisively to enable the citizens to enjoy the benefits. In my view, if we are to fully implement the Common Market Protocol (CMP) today, I believe we shall have realised well over 75% of the integration process” Speaker Zziwa noted.
The Speaker called on the Partner States to review their domestic laws to conform to the commitments and undertakings made in the Common Market Protocol.
“I am pleased to note that in its quest to comply with the CMP, Republic of Kenya repealed the following laws that were inhibiting free movement of persons; Immigration Act (Cap 172), Alien Restriction Act (Cap 173) and Visa Regulations. These laws were replaced by the following new laws: Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act No. 12 of 2011 and Kenya Citizens and Foreign Nationals Management Act No.31 of 2011’ the Speaker remarked.
She hailed Kenya for the recent developments with regards to removal of Non-Tariff Barriers.
The Republic of Kenya has moved with haste to demolish the existing Non-Tariff-Barriers along the highway and port of Mombasa so as to pave way for businesses to thrive. Today, it takes about a week to transfer cargo from Mombasa to Kigali. At the same time, your directive to the Revenue and Customs Departments to relocate to the port city of Mombasa has reduced the time taken to clear cargo consignments. Both moves must be hailed as progressive in lifting the lid off bureaucracies and fundamentally creating a conducive environment for business to flourish.
Rt. Hon Zziwa shared the scorecard of EALA so far, over the last one year to an attentive audience. She cited, inter-alia, the passage of 7 key Bills (One Stop Border Post Bill, 2012, EAC Vehicle Load Control Bill, 2012, EAC Appropriation Bill, 2012, EAC Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2013, the East African Community Customs Management (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2012 and the EAC Public Holidays Bill, 2013), several Reports and 25 Resolutions – all key to integration dispensation.
The Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly, Rt. Hon Justin Muturi underscored the need for the region to ensure peace and stability as well as good governance and social justice.
Rt. Hon Muturi called for closer collaboration between the EALA and the Kenya National Assembly in line with Article 49 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC.
Moving the vote of thanks, Hon Adam Kimbisa noted that Kenya had progressed following the leadership of President Kenyatta. “Today, your life has changed from sunrise to sunset as you have become a servant serving Kenyans he said. This is a honour and a blessing” he maintained. Hon Kimbisa said that EALA was committed to actively playing its mandate to strengthen integration.
After the Presidential Speech, the Assembly was adjourned sine die (Indefinitely) until 2014.
Earlier on today, the Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa paid a courtesy call on the Head of State in State House, Nairobi.
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
