EALA is an organ of the East African Community established in 2001 with a mandate of legislation, representation and oversight/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 18 – The 4th Assembly of the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) will be inaugurated Monday in Arusha, with the swearing-in of MPs and election of the Speaker being top on the agenda.
This follows the successful election of the nine Kenyan representatives who chose Simon Mbugua as their Chairperson and Kennedy Kalonzo as Vice Chairperson, with Florence Jematiah taking the post of Secretary-General.
Kenya became the last of the six East African Community partner states to elect its nine representatives last week, ending a six-month delay.
All members are expected to be sworn-in by the Clerk before election of the Speaker.
The new EALA Speaker who takes over from Daniel Kidega is expected to guide the Assembly over the next five years, taking it a notch higher in the integration dispensation.
EALA is an organ of the East African Community established in 2001 with a mandate of legislation, representation and oversight. It includes nine elected members from each of the partner States.
Other elected nominees from Kenya are Mpuru Aburi, Aden Noor, Wanjiku Muhia, Oburu Oginga, Abdikadir Aden and Fatuma Ibrahim.
The nine – with their colleagues from other partner states – will be responsible for among other things approving budgets for the region, debating audit reports, performing an oversight function and initiating bills in the assembly.
The 3rd Assembly wound up its mandate on June 4.
Uganda was the first to elect Members to the regional Assembly on March 1 and their nine-member team includes three returning incumbents, Susan Nakawuki, Fred Mukasa Mbidde and Chris Opoka.
The new faces to EALA from Uganda are Rose Akol, Mathias Kasamba, Mary Mugyenyi and Paul Musamali. Others are Dennis Namara and George Stephen Odongo.
Tanzania returned Adam Kimbisa and Maryam Ussi from the 3rd Assembly. The newcomers include Josephine Lemoyan, Happiness Lugiko, Pamela Maassay, Ngwaru J Maghembe, Abdullah Makame, Habib Mnyaa and Fancy Nkuhi.
Rwanda submitted its list to EALA in May 2017 which includes Pierre Celestin Rwigema, Martin Ngoga, Gasinzigwa Oda and Kalinda Francois Xavier, all who previously served in the 3rd Assembly.
New faces include Alex Bahati, Fatuma Ndangiza, Rutazana Francine, Barimuyabo Jean Claude and Uwumukiza Francoise.
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