Rwanda’s new Minister for East African Community Affairs, Hon Jacqueline Muhongayire was this afternoon sworn-in as an Ex-Officio Member of EALA. The Oath of Allegiance to the House was administered before the EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Margaret Nantongo Zziwa.
The Member took the oath in accordance with Rule 6 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly. The Rules of Procedure say in part that: “No Member can sit or participate in the proceedings of the House until the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to the Treaty is taken”.
Rule 6(3) specifically states that “when a Member first attends to take his or her seat other than at the first sitting of a new House, he or she shall be brought to the table by two Members and presented by them to the Speaker who shall then administer the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance”.
The Minister was ushered into the House by Hon Abdullah Mwinyi and Hon Patricia Hajabakiga. EALA has 45 elected Members and seven Ex-Officio Members. The Ex-Officio Members are the Ministers of EAC in the Partner States, the EAC Secretary General and the Counsel to the Community.
President Paul Kagame appointed Hon Jacqueline Muhongayire, the new Minister for EAC Affairs on July 12, 2013 to replace Hon Monique Mukaruliza. Minister Muhongayire was immediately sworn in alongside the in-coming Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba and Dan Munyuza, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, in a brief ceremony at the Parliament buildings.
Hon Muhongayire has been a member (elected) of EALA for five years. The new Minister, who was once Deputy Speaker of the Transitional National Assembly in Rwanda, has the task of spearheading the realisation of the remaining pillars of the EAC integration process, namely the Monetary Union, Political Federation and establishment of a single customs territory among others.
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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
