The regional legislative assembly will resume its Plenary Session in Kampala, Uganda on the 22nd of January.
A statement from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) said that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who is the Chair of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, is expected to deliver the State of EAC Address to the Assembly at a date to be communicated.
“The State of EAC Address is an annual address delivered by the sitting EAC Summit Chair and it sets the momentum and impetus for the integration process by reflecting on general policies that relate to the Community’s progress while outlining the strategic challenges which require attention.” Reads the statement in part.
The Assembly which is to be presided by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Ngoga K. Martin, shall during the three-week period further discuss the following legislative business: Debate three key Bills; the EAC Oaths Bill, 2017, the EAC Statistics Bureau Bill, 2017 and the EAC Monetary Institute Bill, 2017. Hold Plenary to establish and elect Members to the six Committees of the Assembly. They include the Committee on Accounts, the Committee on General Purpose and the Committee on Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution. Others are the Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges, the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment, and the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources and pose questions to the Council of Ministers, debate and adopt Motions and Resolutions.
The East African Legislative Assembly is the Legislative Organ of the East African Community. Its Membership consists of a total 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 once assented of the Community is effected by means of Bills passed by the Assembly and assented to by the Heads of State. A Bill that has been duly passed and assented to, becomes an Act of the Community and takes precedence over similar legislations in the Partner States. EALA has to date passed 79 pieces of legislation.
