East African Legislative Assembly
Encyclopedia
The East African Legislative Assembly is a sub organ of the larger East African Community
, being the Legislative arm of the Community. Members are sworn in to five-year terms.
, Tanzania
on November 29, 2001. It had been founded the day before. The first Speaker of the Assembly was the Honourable Abdulrahman O. Kinana of Tanzania. 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. The Honourable Abdirahim Abdi of Kenya is the speaker of the second Assembly.
, 3 from Tanzania
and 4 from Uganda
.
Ex-officio members include the ministers from each country responsible for regional cooperation, 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:
The Seven Standing Committees are:
The composition and leadership of each of these Committees is equally shared among the Partners States.
, 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.
East African Community
The East African Community is an intergovernmental organisation comprising the five east African countries Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Pierre Nkurunziza, the President of the Republic of Burundi, is the current Chairman of the East African Community. The EAC was originally...
, being the Legislative arm of the Community. Members are sworn in to five-year terms.
History
EALA had its first sitting in ArushaArusha
Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Arusha Region, which claims a population of 1,288,088, including 281,608 for the Arusha District . Arusha is surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
on November 29, 2001. It had been founded the day before. The first Speaker of the Assembly was the Honourable Abdulrahman O. Kinana of Tanzania. The first Assembly, including members from Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Tanzania and Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, was dissolved in 2006.
The second Assembly expanded as Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
joined the EAC in 2007. The Honourable Abdirahim Abdi of Kenya is the speaker of the second Assembly.
Membership
Nine elected members from each country and seven ex-officio members make up the membership of the East African Legislative Assembly. Members are elected by the legislatures of each country. To make sure there are women represented there are 2 female members from KenyaKenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, 3 from Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
and 4 from Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
.
Ex-officio members include the ministers from each country responsible for regional cooperation, 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:
| Political party | Burundi | Kenya | Rwanda | Tanzania | Uganda | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| independents or unspecified | 5 | 9 | 9 | 23 | ||
| Chama Cha Mapinduzi Chama Cha Mapinduzi The Chama cha Mapinduzi is the ruling political party of Tanzania.- History :The party was created February 5, 1977, under the leadership of Julius Nyerere as the merger of the Tanganyika African National Union , the then ruling party in Tanganyika, and the Afro-Shirazi Party , the then ruling... |
7 | 7 | ||||
| CNDD-FDD | 4 | 4 | ||||
| KANU Kenya African National Union The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU is a political party which ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002... |
2 | 2 | ||||
| CNDD National Council for the Defense of Democracy The National Council for the Defense of Democracy is a former ethnic Hutu rebel group that now functions as a political party in Burundi. The party is led by Léonard Nyangoma and holds seats in both chambers of Parliament .At the legislative elections in 2005, the party won 4.9 % and 4 out of 118... |
1 | 1 | ||||
| FORD Kenya | 1 | 1 | ||||
| FORD People's Party | 1 | 1 | ||||
| MRC | 1 | 1 | ||||
| United Democratic Party United Democratic Party (Tanzania) The United Democratic Party is a liberal party in Tanzania.The party is an observer at Liberal International.At the 2000 legislative elections, the party 2 out of 269 seats in the National Assembly... |
1 | 1 | ||||
| UPRONA Union for National Progress The Union for National Progress is a nationalist political party in Burundi, receiving most of its support from members of the Tutsi ethnic group. It is celebrated for its role in gaining Burundian independence. UPRONA's most famous prime minister and Burundi National Hero is Prince Louis Rwagasore... |
1 | 1 | ||||
| vacant? | 2 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Totals | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 45 |
Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the East African Legislative Assembly are:- to meet with the National AssembliesNational AssemblyNational Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the Assemblée nationale...
of member countries on matters relating to the Community; - to debateDebateDebate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
, discuss and approve the budgetBudgetA budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
of the Community; - to consider annual reportAnnual reportAn annual report is a comprehensive report on a company's activities throughout the preceding year. Annual reports are intended to give shareholders and other interested people information about the company's activities and financial performance...
s on the activities of the Community, annual auditAuditThe general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
reports of the Audit Commission and any other reports referred to it by the Council of Ministers; - to discuss all matters pertaining to the Community and make recommendations to the Council as it may deem necessary for the implementation of the Treaty;
- for purposes of carrying out its functions, to establish any committee or committees for such purposes as it deems necessary;
- to recommend to the Council the appointment of the Clerk and other officers of the Assembly;
- to make its own rules of procedure and those of its committees; and
- to perform any other duties that are allowed and permitted by the Treaty.
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:
- Accounts
- Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources
- General Purpose
- House Business
- Legal, Rules and Privileges
- Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution
- Trade Communication and Investment
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 ArushaArusha
Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Arusha Region, which claims a population of 1,288,088, including 281,608 for the Arusha District . Arusha is surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks...
, Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
and Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. During these sittings, EALA has:
- adopted its rules of procedure;
- elected the Speaker of the Assembly;
- recommended to the Council of Ministers the appointment of the Officers of the Assembly;
- approved the budgets for the EAC for the 2002-3 and 2003-4 fiscal years;
- asked the Council of Ministers 19 questions, which were duly answered;
- adopted five resolutions;
- held seminars on a wide range of issues in relation to their mandate; and
- passed six bills into law.
The Committees have continuously got briefs from the Secretariat and given advice with regard to progress in the implementation of the Treaty.