Fourth EALA Members sworn in, as House adjourns election of Speaker

East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania: December 18, 2017:

EALA Members have taken Oath of allegiance presided over by the Clerk to the Assembly, Kenneth Madete. However, the Assembly adjourned until Tuesday, December 19^th, 2017 without the much-anticipated election of the Speaker.

A quorum hitch occasioned by absence of Members from Tanzania and Burundi as the process of electing the Speaker got underway, compelled the Clerk to call the roll. Hon Leontine Nzeyimana from Burundi brought the matter of lack of quorum to the attention of the Clerk after invoking Rule 12 of the Rules of Procedure of the House.   Under the rule, quorum of the House or the Committee of the whole House shall be half of the elected Members and such quorum shall be composed of at least one third of the elected Members from each Partner State.

The race for the Speakership is contested by Hon Martin Ngoga of Rwanda, Hon Leontine Nzeyimana (Burundi) and Hon Adam Kimbisa (Tanzania). The candidate who gets elected shall preside over the House and direct its activities over the next five years.

The bit of the swearing in of Members was well attended. The President of the Rwanda Senate, Rt Hon Bernard Makuza, Speaker of Senate of Kenya, Rt Hon Kenneth Lusaka and Speaker of Transitional National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan, Rt Hon Anthony Lino Makana, graced the occasion. Hon Rosalind Tuya represented the Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly, Rt Hon Justin Muturi.  Several legislators of the Parliament of Tanzania led by MP Hon Mussa A Zungu were in attendance. Other leaders in attendance included the Governor of Nairobi County, H.E. Mike Mbuvi Sonko, and his Uasin Gishu counterpart, H.E. Jackson Mandago, the President of the Democratic Party, Hon Nobert Mao, friends and family of the Members who were being sworn in.

EALA is an Organ of the East African Community established in 2001 with a mandate of legislation, representation and oversight.

   -Ends-

For more Information, contact:

Mr. 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