The EALA Speaker, Rt Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa today held talks with her counterpart, Rt. Hon Anna Makinda, Speaker of the Parliament of Tanzania at the Speaker’s Chambers in Dar es Salaam.
The deliberations delved on enhancing co-operation with the need to further close ranks between EALA and Parliament of Tanzania topping the agenda. Both Speakers posited optimism that the EAC Bureau of Speakers would be transformed into an Organ of the Community once the Summit of EAC Heads of State deliberate on the matter.
Rt. Hon Zziwa informed her counterpart that the Chairperson of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, H.E. Mwai Kibaki had recently pledged his support and promised to have the matter put on the Summit’s agenda for deliberations.
She noted that the Head of State also urged EALA and the Assemblies to collaborate more for the benefit of the region.‘President Kibaki was emphatic in his Speech during the Session in Nairobi that EALA and National Assemblies should hold Joint Sessions. We need to explore how this can be done so that we become more effective and our constituents understand us better’, Rt. Hon Zziwa remarked.
The EALA Speaker noted that relations between the EALA and the Parliament of Tanzania were cordial and remarked that EALA would incorporate some of the existing best practices as it continues to strengthen its mandate.
Rt. Hon Anna Makinda on her part congratulated the EALA Speaker following her recent election and pledged to support the 3rd Assembly. ‘ I assure you of all the unequivocal support as I gave to the 2nd Assembly under Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi’, she remarked.
The Speaker noted that Parliament of Tanzania was set to revise its Standing Orders so as to ensure its work of enacting legislation, oversight and representation is better understood and the Parliament remains on the cutting edge of issues.
She further stated that it was necessary and vital to establish regulations guiding the operations of the Speakers’ Bureau to make it an effective instrument.
Present at the meeting were EALA Member, Hon Angela Charles Kizigha as well as staff Members of EALA and the Parliament of Tanzania.
NOTE TO EDITORS
The Bureau of the EAC Speakers is the umbrella body that EALA and the National Assemblies are using to spearhead the set up of a mechanism of institutional arrangements at the EAC. The Forum champions the cause of Parliaments in the region, that of enacting legislation, oversight and representation and plays a key advisory role to the Summit of the EAC Heads of State.
-Ends-
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