Assembly meets in Arusha this week

…Agenda includes tabling of EAC Budget speech for next financial year 

East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, June 15, 2021: The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) resumes its sitting in Arusha, Tanzania, on Friday, June 17th, 2021, for the sixth meeting of its fourth session. 

Topping the agenda of the Assembly to be presided over by Speaker, Rt Hon Ngoga Karoli Martin, is the tabling of the EAC Budget speech for the Financial Year 2021/2022, the EAC Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2021 and the Report of the Committee on Accounts on the EAC Audited Financial Statements for the Financial Year ended 30th June, 2016.  

The EAC Budget speech is expected to be delivered on June 22nd, 2021, by the Chair of the Council of Ministers.  The Assembly is subsequently expected to debate and approve the contents of the Budget speech, which is a key activity of the EAC calendar. 
 
Last year,(September 2020), the House approved a budget estimates for the Financial Year 2020/2021, totalling $97,669,708, at a sitting held virtually. The 2020/2021 Budget themed: “Stimulating the economy to safeguard livelihoods, jobs, businesses and industrial recovery” focused on several priority programmes. Key among them were on the consolidation of Single Customs Territory (SCT) to cover imports and intra-EAC traded goods, including agricultural and other widely consumed products as well as enhanced infrastructure development in the region, enhance free movement of all factors of production and other areas of co-operation across the Partner States, as envisaged under the Common Market and Monetary Union Protocols and strive for the promotion of peace, security and good governance. Another priority, was to enhance regional industrial development through investment in key priority sectors, skills development, technological advancement and innovation to stimulate economic development. In Agriculture, the EAC focused to work towards improvement of agricultural productivity, value addition and facilitation of movement of agricultural goods to enhance food security in the region.  

Other activities of the Assembly at the three-week sitting include debate and enactment of the EAC Supplementary Bill, 2021 and the EAC Appropriation Bill, 2021 to anchor the EAC Budget as well as the debate on Report of the Committee on Accounts on the EAC audited financial statements for the Financial Year ended 30th June, 2016. 

In addition, all 6 statutory committees of the House will also meet and rigorously review pending reports for debate in the House as well as adopt workplans for the next financial year. 

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 into 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 87 pieces of legislation. 

-ENDS- 

 
For more information, contact 

East African Legislative Assembly, 

P.O. Box 1096, Arusha, Tanzania. 

Cell. +255-765-746-904 

Email: eala@eachq.org 

Web: www.eala.org