The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) holds its sitting in Kigali, Rwanda, next week. The First Meeting of the Fifth Session of the Fourth Assembly takes place from Monday, October 24, 2022 to Saturday, November 5th, 2022.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Martin K. Ngoga shall preside over the Sitting. President Paul Kagame is expected to address a Special Sitting on November 1st, 2022, in line with Article 64 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC as is customary whenever EALA sits in the Partner States.
Three key Bills on the agenda are the EAC Supplementary Appropriation Bill, 2022, the EAC Customs Management (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the EAC Surveillance, Compliance and Enforcement Commission Bill, 2022.
In addition, to be deliberated on during the two weeks period are reports from various Committees of the House, including that of the Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution Committee to assess the measures instituted by the Partner States for the safety and security of movement of people and goods on Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika
A report on the status of implementation of universal health coverage in the EAC, in particular HIV & AIDS shall also be tabled and debated. The latter report follows an oversight activity carried in Partner States by the Committee on General Purpose.
The East African Legislative Assembly is the Legislative Organ of the East African Community. Its Membership consists of 62, of whom 54 are elected Members (9 from each Partner State) and eight 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 put in effect 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 has to date passed 79 pieces of legislation. (End)