Press Statement: Third Meeting - Fourth Session-Second Assembly

 BY RT. HON. ABDIRAHIN H. ABDI – SPEAKER EALA

You are all most welcome to this Press Briefing.  May I take this opportunity first of all to wish you all a happy and successful 2011 and to congratulate all the people and entire leadership of Kenya for holding a successful referendum on the new Constitution.  It will indeed be the pride of the East African Legislative Assembly to see the country implementing the new Constitution in a progressive manner

This press briefing has specially been convened for the media to interact with you prior to the commencement of the Third Meeting of the Fourth Session of the Second Assembly which takes place here in the old Chambers of the Kenya National Assembly from 24 January, 2011 to 4 February, 2011. We shall use the opportunity to conduct Plenary and Committee Meetings as well as hold a Special Session on 25^th January, 2011.  

On behalf of EALA, I would like to extend my profound gratitude to H.E Mwai Kibaki, President of the Republic of Kenya and the Rt. Hon. Kenneth Marende, Speaker of the Kenya National Assembly for having accepted to hold this important EALA Session.  EALA is grateful in particular to H.E Mwai Kibaki for having accepted to address the Special Sitting here tomorrow, Tuesday, 25^th January, 2011.

Notable business before the House includes:
•    The EAC Elections Bill – 2^nd and 3^rd Reading
•    The EAC Service Commission Bill 2^nd Reading
•    The Lake Victoria Basin Commission Bill
•    The consideration of various Committee Reports and Motions
•    We shall also hold a workshop on Parliamentary Practices and Procedures.

This Session takes place at a time when a number of positive developments are taking place at the EAC namely the commencement of the negotiations on the EAC Monetary Union which is expected to be undertaken over the next 12 months.  It is important to note that this is the third step in the four-tire integration process. This is in tandem with the directives of the EAC Summit in 2007 that decided to fast track the achievement of the Monetary Union by 2012.  EALA is of the view that the negotiations need to be an all inclusive process that involves all stakeholders since the EAC must be people-centred and private sector driven.

With regards to the on-going Common Market Protocol, the Assembly calls on the Partner States to expedite the process of harmonizing their national laws so that all EAC citizens enjoy the privileges and freedoms of the Common Market.

I also wish to bring to your attention the fact that this year, EALA shall be marking its 10th Anniversary Observance.  The commemoration which shall be observed in the EAC Partner States is to climax with a wide range of activities envisaged to be observed in Arusha, Tanzania on November 29, 2011.

EALA shall thus use the 10^th Anniversary Observance to reflect on the various achievements (and challenges) realized over the past ten years and appraise its own effectiveness as a Regional Assembly as it sets the mood for the next decade.

In addition to the current mandate of EALA, the next decade shall see the regional Parliament among other things.
1.    Enhance a wider and deeper oversight scope of the Community;
2.    Strengthen its policy research, legislative services and gain financial autonomy;
3.    Continue provision of legislative services – including new legislation, amendment of existing legislation, all aimed at the smooth implementation of the new levels of integration;
4.    Endear itself to the civil society, business community and the people of East Africa.

Finally, EALA strives to support, through its legislative, representative and oversight roles the overall mission of the Community, aimed at deepening and widening integration among Partner States in political, social, cultural, defence issues for the mutual benefit and for the people of East Africa.  EALA will therefore continue to play its role in the Community in order to build on past successes and do more as it moves into the future.

24^th January, 2011