EALA sessions to resume in Kampala next week

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is set to hold its plenary sessions in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, from Tuesday, January 24 to Thursday, February 2. On the agenda are the bills on the Inter-University Council of East Africa Bill, EAC Trans-boundary Ecosystem Management Bill and the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill. According to a statement from the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, the second meeting of the fifth session of the Second Assembly, which will be presided over by the EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin H. Abdi, will be held in the Uganda Parliamentary chambers. Speaking to The New Times yesterday, Rwandan EALA legislator Dr. James Ndahiro, said that th members have been holding subcommittee meetings since last December, and that the full session of the assembly begins next week. “Some of the meetings were being held at the EAC Secretariat in Arusha and others in the EAC partner countries,” he noted. “During the two-week period, we shall also receive and consider reports from various committees of the Assembly and consider motions and questions brought before the House”. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda is expected to address a Special Sitting of EALA Tuesday, next week. The Chairperson of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, is expected to deliver the annual ‘State of the EAC’ address on Wednesday. EALA shall also hold briefing sessions with the deputy Secretary General of the EAC, who shall apprise the Assembly on the progress concerning the issue of political federation, social sector, customs and trade, planning and infrastructure, finance and administration among other areas. The organisation is the legislative arm of the EAC. Its membership consists of a total of 52, of whom 45 are elected Members (nine 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). frank.kanyesigye@newtimes.co.rw

National

EALA sessions to resume in Kampala next week