East African Legislative Assembly

East African Legislative Assembly
Swahili: Bunge la Afrika Mashariki
3rd EALA
History
Founded November 2001
Leadership
Speaker
Seats 52 (45 elected; 7 ex officio)
Website
www.eala.org

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is a sub-organ of the larger East African Community, being the legislative arm of the Community. Members are sworn into five-year terms.

History

EALA had its first sitting in Arusha, Tanzania on 29 November 2001. It had been founded the day before. The first Speaker of the Assembly was Abdulrahman Kinana of Tanzania.[1] The first Assembly, including members from Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, was dissolved in 2006.

The second Assembly expanded as Rwanda and Burundi joined the EAC in 2007. Abdirahim Abdi of Kenya was the Speaker of the second Assembly.

Membership

Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete addressing the Assembly

Nine elected members from each country and seven ex officio members make up the membership of the East African Legislative Assembly.[2] Members are elected by the legislatures of each country. To make sure there are women represented there are 2 female members from Kenya, 3 from Tanzania and 4 from Uganda.

Ex officio members include the ministers from each country responsible for regional co-operation, a Secretary General, and a Counsel to the Community.

The elected members of the second EALA (2007–12) break down by political party as follows:[3]

Political party Burundi Kenya Rwanda Tanzania Uganda TOTAL
independents or unspecified   5 9   9 23
Chama Cha Mapinduzi       7   7
CNDD-FDD 4         4
KANU   2       2
CNDD 1         1
FORD Kenya   1       1
FORD People's Party   1       1
MRC 1         1
United Democratic Party       1   1
UPRONA 1         1
vacant? 2     1   3
Totals 9 9 9 9 9 45

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the East African Legislative Assembly are:

Committees

EALA is empowered to make its own Rules of Procedure and to constitute Committees. The adopted Rules of Procedure (as amended in February 2003) provide for a Committee System of seven standing committees, but may also appoint Select Committees when need arises.

The seven standing committees are:

The composition and leadership of each of these Committees is equally shared among the Partners States.

Activities since inauguration

Since its inauguration, EALA has held several sittings as a Plenary in Arusha, Kampala and Nairobi. During these sittings, EALA has:

The Committees have continuously got briefs from the Secretariat and given advice with regard to progress in the implementation of the Treaty.

References

  1. History of EALA Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
  2. Composition of EALA Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
  3. EALA – Members (2007–2012) Retrieved on 2010-03-06.
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