The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is scheduled to hold its sitting in Arusha on Monday, May 16th 2011 through to Thursday, May 26, 2011. This is the fifth meeting of the fourth session of the second Assembly. Key budget speech to be presented by the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers.
The Assembly to be presided by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin H. Abdi, shall during the two-week period discuss crucial legislative business - as well as interact and share experiences with the representatives of various sectors and publics, as envisaged under Article 49 of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community.
This fifth meeting expects to debate on the following business among others:
• The EAC Elections Bill – 2nd and 3rd Reading
• The IUCEA (Amendment) Bill 2nd & 3rd Reading
• The EAC Service Commission Bill 2nd & 3rd Reading
• EAC Appropriation Bill 2011, 2nd & 3rd Reading
• EAC Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2011, 2nd & 3rd Reading
EALA will also listen to the EAC Budget Speech for the Financial Year 2011/2012 on May 19, 2011. The speech is expected to be delivered by Hon. Hafsa Mossi, Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of the East African Community and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Republic of Burundi. The Budget speech shall be debated by the Assembly six days later.
In addition, EALA shall also debate on the State of the EAC Address that was delivered by the Chairperson of the East African Community, President Pierre Nkurunziza on April 4, 2011 in Kigali, Rwanda during the forth meeting of the forth Session.
In the State of the EAC Address, President Nkurunziza noted the need for the region to direct greater attention and energy at getting the strategic drivers of integration “right and on track” so as to maintain the momentum gathered and move the Community forward. President Nkurunziza enumerated the main strategic drivers the region needed to prioritise in its quest to deepen integration as enhancement of trade, the free-flow of trade through open borders, pursuit of regional infrastructure and quality assurance of education systems in the region. The President urged Partner States to open up their borders to allow for trade to intensify. He noted Non-Tariff Barriers were a big impediment to doing business in the region.
Various Committee meetings and debate on various Committee Reports shall also be held during the sitting.
The Assembly meets at least once in a year at Arusha in the United Republic of Tanzania, as per Article 55 of the Treaty.
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-
Registration for Journalists intending to cover the Plenary Sessions is now open at the EAC Media Centre located at AICC Building, Ngorongoro Wing, Second Floor, Room 212. Please contact the Media Centre Co-ordinator, Mr. Florian Mutabazi Cell: +255-753-288428, +255-715-288428. Email: fmutabazi@eachq.org
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
