African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, December 5th 2019: The East African Legislative Assembly is moving to expedite the development of the EAC Climate Change Bill in order to introduce it in the House for debate. As the rains continue pounding and causing havoc in many parts of the region, the Council of Ministers is been urged to urgently establish an emergency response fund to assist victims of floods and other environmental funds.
A resolution moved by Hon Kim Gai Ruot captures the essence of the dangers currently faced in the region saying there are inadequate resources and capacities set aside to effectively prevent disasters both at country level and sub-regionally. The Motion also underscores the need for education and public awareness as essentials that are supportive of community participation and vital in disaster preparedness and management.
In his motion to the House, Hon Kim Gai, lamented that perception and the public’s general knowledge and comprehension of disasters continued to be low, making it difficult to prevent and reduce the sever consequences of disasters to the Community.
The mover informed the House that whereas in 2013, the Assembly passed the East African Community Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Bill, 2013, to provide a framework for intervention and assistance to persons affected by natural disasters and mitigate the effects of climate change in the Community, the Bill never received assent and is yet to become a law of the Community. The repercussions of lack of the Bill include the delay in instituting a special disaster management fund to support victims and activities related to Disaster Risk Reduction and management. “The issue adds to the increasing number of environmental internally displaced persons in various parts of the Community”, Hon Ruot lamented.
Hon Ruot noted that in addition to natural disasters caused by climate change, drought and flooding, a robust early warning system and emergency response would benefit the Community in the event of disasters like oil spills which also threaten the environment in specific parts of the Community;
At debate, Hon Dennis Namaara said the on-going rains in the region led to trigger disasters and placed the documented deaths at 250 people in the EAC region with thousands of other citizens displaced. “There are landslides in the region, every now and then. At the same time, several river banks have burst leading to displacements and such call for immediate measures, laws, relocations and special funds to address the matter”, he said. Hon Adam Kimbisa cited natural, technological, man-made and creeping disasters as calamitous events preventing functioning of the Community and called for remedial measures to address the different levels of disasters. Hon Wanjiku Muhia said disasters were not new in the day to day lives of citizens in the Partner States and rallied for effective systems to be put in place, including the applicability of how the fund shall be administered.
Hon Victor Burikukiye said there was a framework including an EAC masterplan on climate and a climate change strategy, but added that more needed to be achieved. “We always witness disasters and such are sudden and unpredictable with Partner States struggling to mitigate the sufferings of citizens”, he said. On her part, Hon Dr Woda Jeremiah Odok, said the pending Bill needed to be brought to the House immediately. Hon Jean Barimuyabo said disasters were a reality in the continent and globe, while Hon Nur Mohammed said the envisaged fund should be managed independently and as a trust fund that may attract extra funding from donors.
Other Members in support were Hon Dr Abdulla Hasnuu Makame, Hon Dr Anne Itto, Hon Kasamba Mathias and Hon Paul Musamali. In his remarks, the Chair of the Council of Ministers, said Council of Ministers was utterly concerned by the impact of the disasters and had initiated the process of formulating the EAC Climate Change Bill. “We have also established the Climate change policy as part of the measures to contain the effects of climate change”, the Minister added.
Article 112 (d) of the Treaty for the re-establishment of the EAC, stipulates that all EAC Partner States undertake to co-operate in the management of the environment and agree to take necessary disaster preparedness, management, protection and mitigation measures, especially for the control of natural and man-made disasters. These include oil spills, bio-hazards, floods, earthquakes, maritime accidents, drought and fires.
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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
