H.E. President Nkurunziza expected to address Special Sitting of the Assembly on Thursday, November 17, 2011. The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) resumes business next week by holding its plenary in Bujumbura, Burundi. The plenary which takes place from Tuesday, November 15th 2011, through Tuesday, November 29, 2011 is the Second meeting of the Fifth session of the Second Assembly.
The Chairperson of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, His Excellency Pierre Nkurunziza, is expected to address a Special Sitting on Thursday, November 17, 2011.
The Assembly to be presided by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin H. Abdi, shall during the two-week period discuss matters of legislative business. The Sitting expects among others to debate on the following Bills:
The IUCEA Amendment Bill (2nd & 3rd Reading)
The EAC Trans-boundary Ecosystem Management Bill, 2010 – 2nd Reading and 3rd Reading
The EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill (2nd & 3rd Reading)
EALA shall also receive a number of reports for consideration, Motions and Questions.
The Plenary shall also be interspersed with activities marking the 10th Anniversary celebrations of EALA. They include the sixth Inter-Parliamentary Relations Seminar, known as the Nanyuki Series and the Inter-Parliamentary Soccer tournament.
The theme of the Nanyuki series which takes place on November 28-29, 2011 is the ‘Role of the Legislature in achieving a Political Federation’. The Nanyuki series which is the sixth since inception shall be attended by Speakers from the regional and continental Parliaments including those from the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Parliaments. Members of the National Assemblies of the Partner States, top EAC government officials and Members of the diplomatic corp shall also be in attendance.
On its part, the Inter-parliamentary soccer tournament pits the soccer teams from the National Assemblies and the EAC/EALA team in a week-long tournament which commences on November 22, 2011. Tanzania are defending champions having beaten Uganda in the finals held in 2009 in Arusha, Tanzania.
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 52, of whom 45 are elected Members (9 from each Partner State) and seven 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 effected 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 in June 2010 launched its Strategic Plan and Website at its 5th Meeting of the third Session held in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya respectively. The Strategic Plan is expected to go a long way to firmly entrench the EALA as the epitome of the Community’s democracy and unity. The EALA website www.eala.org provides the Assembly with the means to communicate actively with the citizens of East Africa and beyond and enhances public understanding of the legislature’s role and responsibilities.
-ENDS-
For more information, contact
Bobi Odiko
Senior Public Relations Officer
East African Legislative Assembly
Tel: +255-27-2508240
Fax: +255-27-2503103
Cell: +255-787-870945
+254-733-718036
Email: BOdiko@eachq.org
Web: https://www.eala.org
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ea_bunge
