Assembly commences plenary sitting in Zanzibar

East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, February 18, 2018: The isles of Zanzibar hosts the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Sitting which commences today. The Assembly convenes for the 4^th Meeting of its 2^nd Session which runs from February 18^th, 2019 to March 8^th, 2019.

The President of Zanzibar and the Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, H.E. Dr Ali Mohammed Shein is expected to officiate at a special Sitting on February 26^th, 2019.

Key items at the Sitting include debate on the East African Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2019 and the consideration of various key Committee reports. The Assembly is further expected to receive a briefing by the EAC Secretary General on the status of EAC projects. The Sitting is also to be interspersed in Week 1 by rigorous Committee work with all 6 Committees reviewing pertinent issues that precede debate next week.  The six Committees are:

the Committee on Accounts,
the Committtee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources,
the Committee on General Purpose,
the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution,
the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment, and,
the Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges.  

The whole House will also meet with a number of key EAC and other institutions. Two EAC Institutions, the EAC Kiswahili Commission and the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) are on the cards.  In addition, the executives of the African Palliative Care Association and the with Doris Mollel Foundation will also touch base with the Assembly to discuss matters pertinent to integration.  As part of its outreach programmes, the Assembly similarly has a date with stakeholders from the Zanzibar Business Board (ZBB) and the University of Zanzibar.

The Assembly which holds six Plenary Sessions in the region every financial year, embraces the principle of rotation in a bid to create awareness of its work. Zanzibar last hosted EALA (Second Meeting of the Fifth Session of the Third Assembly) in October 2016.

NOTE TO EDITORS ABOUT EALA

The East African Legislative Assembly is the Legislative Organ of the East African Community. Its Membership consists of a total of 62, of whom 54 are elected Members (9 from each Partner State) and eight ex-officio members (the Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs from the Partner States, the Secretary General of the Community and the Counsel to the Community).

The East African Legislative Assembly has legislative functions as well as oversight of all East African Community matters.  The enactment of legislation of the Community is put in effect by means of Bills passed by the Assembly and assented to by the Heads of State, and every Bill that has been duly passed and assented to become an Act of the Community and takes precedent over similar legislations in the Partner States.  EALA has to date passed 80 pieces of legislation.

-ENDS-

For more information, contact

Bobi Odiko,

Senior Public Relations Officer,

East African Legislative Assembly,

P.O. Box 1096, Arusha, Tanzania.

Cell. +255-787-870945

Email: BOdiko@eachq.org.

Web: www.eala.org