Report By LeoOdera Omolo·
The Fourth Meeting, Third Session of the Second East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) officially kicked off yesterday, Tuesday, 14th April 2010, at the Parliament Chambers of the National Assembly of Rwanda with a call by H.E Paul Kagame to have the Customs Union fully implemented before the Common Market Protocol comes into effect.
In his keynote speech to the EALA Assembly meeting under the leadership of the Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi, the President focused on EALA’s outstanding role in the prompt realisation of the Common Market putting a lot of emphasis on the key role of the EALA in areas of representation, oversight, and legislation as main essentials in the full implementation of the Common Market Protocol.
Representative
In lobbying the EALA Members to support the Common market, the President downplayed the fears that the prospect of the free movement of labour, goods, services and capital, and the right for East Africans to live in any part of the Community, has produced. “Educate the people of East Africa about its merits and benefits. In order to dispel lingering perceptions that may be false” he said.
Oversight
The President called for the EALA to ensure that the Common Market is properly implemented according to the law signed by all Member States, saying he regretted the slow removal of trade barriers noting that there was now urgent need for the quick implementation of relevant Council and Summit resolutions. “ we do not have much time left before the Common Market comes into force,” he said.
The President called for urgent infrastructure development projects in the transport sector and Information technology which he noted are critical for a fully functional Common Market.
The President urged the EALA Members to ensure that these projects are effectively implemented, “and as you examine the East African Community budget, I urge you to consider these projects seriously” he said.
The President said he was pleased with the EALA’s efforts to develop the draft East African Election Observation Manual and confirmed that it will “establish common standards to enhance the credibility and legitimacy of our electoral outcomes and should further strengthen our democracies,” he said.
The President asserted that, “…more East Africans are recognizing that widening and deepening our ties will not only enable increased trade and business for everyone’s benefit, it will also facilitate increased educational and cultural exchanges among the EAC people.”
“The test of our success”, the head of State affirmed, “in the Integration process will ultimately be the improvement of the well fair of our East African Citizens”
Legislative
The President encouraged the EALA to continue enacting laws that facilitate the proper functioning of all organs of the East African Community, particularly those that facilitate effective implementation of the Common Market. “I have no doubt that you will debate the bills during this session with the usual candour and wisdom, “he said
“It is gratifying to learn that one of the items tabled for discussion will look at how to continue rebuilding unity in Rwanda following the Genocide – we look forward to your insights and recommendations,” he said.
In his Concluding remarks the President encourage the EALA to work together in removing existing impediments to the region’s integration and the socio-economic transformation of its people.
Speaking earlier on during his welcoming speech to the President, the Speaker of EALA, Rt. Hon Abdirahin Abdi commended President Kagame and his government’s positive development and policies that have brought about peace and security to the Nation.
The Speaker took the opportunity to affirm to the People of Rwanda that the Assembly was in Rwanda to “express its anguish, and boundless grief for those who lost their life’s and at the same time to express our solidarity and shared determination to learn from and never to repeat the lessons of past failures.
He hailed the President and his government “for the positive developments and policies that you have adopted to put the past behind and seek reconciliation and a new future full of hope, unity and determination.”
The EALA Speaker finally thanked Rwanda for the timely payment of her EAC Membership dues noting “ Rwanda was able to pay up all her dues within the first half of the financial year, an act highly commended and appreciated”.
EALA pays tribute to Genocide victims
Meanwhile the EALA Members together with the Rwandan lawmakers in honor of the victims of 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi on Monday, 12 April 2010 held a Seminar that focused on discussions around the theme, “16 Years after the Genocide perpetrated against Tutsis and handling its Consequences”.
Also in Attendance were Members of the Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations, Gacaca, the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission (NURC), the Prosecutor General and sitting judges of the East African Court of justice from Rwanda .
The Members later on Tuesday,13 April 2010 visited the Rebero Memorial Site in Kicukiro district for the closing ceremony of the one week long commemoration ceremony held in remembrance of the politicians who were killed during the Genocide.
The President later on his address to the EALA appreciated EALA’s presence in Kigali during the 16th commemoration of the Genocide against the Tutsis who perished in Rwanda in 1994.
Background
This is the Second time that the EALA is meeting in Rwanda since the Membership of the Community expanded with the admission of two sister Republics of Burundi and Rwanda in July 2007.
The MPs from the two Partner States took oath as MPs in May 2008 and have since then continued to make their valuable contribution to the EAC integration agenda. The EALA comprises of a total of 52 Members, 45 elected Members (9 from each Partner State ) and 7 Ex-Officio Members comprising five Ministers or Deputies Ministers responsible for EAC affairs, the Secretary General of the Community and the Counsel to the Community.
As the for the regions legislature, the EALA prides itself for consolidating the gains it has collectively achieved as a region; and it is important to note that the laws passed by the EALA are binding on the EAC Partner States.
All laws enacted by EALA have the full force of law and take precedence over similar laws in the Partner States on matters related to the Community. In addition to passing legislation, the Assembly has adopted several resolutions and reports relating to the developments in the Community including in the Partner States
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
Arusha , Tanzania