EALA  third Assembly members in plenary last year.

New members of the East African Legislative Assembly were sworn in on Monday by the Clerk after Kenya National Assembly elected nine members for the regional body which had been delay by the long process of electing the Kenyan president.

Parliament of Uganda was the first House to elect Members to the regional Assembly on March 1^st, 2017. The 9 Member team consists of three returning incumbents, Hon Susan Nakawuki, Hon Fred Mukasa Mbidde and Hon Chris Opoka.   The new faces to EALA are Hon Rose Akol, Hon Mathias Kasamba, Hon Mary Mugyenyi and Hon Paul Musamali. Others are Hon Dennis Namara, and Hon George Stephen Odongo.

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Parliament of Tanzania returned Hon Adam Kimbisa and Hon Maryam Ussi from the 3^rd Assembly. The newcomers include Hon Josephine Lemoyan, Hon Happiness Lugiko, Hon Pamela Maassay, Hon Dr Ngwaru J Maghembe, Hon Dr Abdullah Makame, Hon Eng. Habib Mnyaa and Hon Fancy Nkuhi.

Parliament of Rwanda’s list submitted to EALA in May 2017, includes Hon Pierre Celestin Rwigema, Hon Martin Ngoga, Hon Gasinzigwa Oda and Hon Kalinda Francois Xavier, all who previously served in the 3^rd Assembly. New faces include Hon Alex Bahati, Hon Fatuma Ndangiza, Hon Rutazana Francine, Hon Barimuyabo Jean Claude and Hon Uwumukiza Francoise.

Parliament of Burundi on their part elected Hon Jean Marie Muhirwa, Hon Leontine Nzeyimana, Hon Ahingejeje Alfred, Hon Burikukiye Marie Claire, Hon Burikukiye Victor, Hon Karerwa Mo-Mamo, Hon Nduwayo Christophe, Hon Rurakamvye Pierre Claver and Hon Nsavyimana Sophie.

South Sudan’s representatives are Hon Dr Ann Itto Leonardo, Hon Gai Deng Nhial Deng, Hon Dr Woda Jaremiah Odok, Hon Gabriel Garang Ahol and Hon Dr GabrielGarang Arol. Others are Hon Thomas D Deng, Hon Mukulia Kennedy Ayason, Hon Kim Duop and Hon Gideon Gatpan Thoar.

EALA is an Organ of the East African Community established in 2001 with a mandate of legislation, representation and oversight.  It is constituted of nine elected members from each of the Partner States.

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Uganda’s Kakira Sugar

The private sector and business community have tasked  the East African legislative Assembly  to engage the two heads of state from Kenya and Uganda to resolve on the issue of exporting Ugandan sugar to Kenya. The private sector and business community represented by the members of the Uganda Manufacturer Association, Uganda Bureau of standards and Uganda Revenue Authority in a meeting with East African Legislative Assembly representatives at parliament said that they have pressed Kenya to allow Uganda sugar to enter Kenya market but the Kenyan authorities refused.
The Business community say that though they went ahead to allow Kenya to verify the Ugandan sugar industries  and all the sugar production system, they are not satisfied saying that Uganda sugar could not be imported doubting Uganda capacity to produce much sugar.
The policy Analyst officer with the Uganda Manufacturers Association Godfrey SSali said that Uganda being a sugar surplus  economy, other East African countries should have imported sugar from Uganda and Uganda imports goods which it does not  have from the same East African countries to further the East African economic integration. The Ugandan representative at the East African Legislative Assembly Margaret Ziwa said the matter regarding Uganda sugar being refused at Kenyan market will be reported officially to Kenyan authorizes and seek a solution over it .
Reports show that the country exported 40,188 tonnes of sugar to Kenya last year while its recorded surplus was 26,034 and this was attributed to poor yields in the Kenya sugar producing factories and out growers.

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Photo credit: feminspire.com

East African Legislative Assembly has passed a motion that prevents trafficking of persons, protects victims of crime of trafficking and prosecution of the culprits of trafficking in persons in East Africa.

The motion has been moved by Uganda’s EALA representative Dora Byamukama and seconded by EALA Burundi MP Frederick Ngenzebuhoro during a session chaired by the EALA Speaker Dan Kidega. Byamukama  says that the East African Member states have signed into the protocol to prevent, suppress, and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children, which supplements the convention against transitional organized crime.

She says that trafficking of persons is a grave abuse of human rights and is caused by several issues which include; poverty, underdevelopment and unemployment because it promises the culprits a better life and better opportunities.

Former EALA Speaker Margret Nantongo Ziwa says trafficking of persons contributes a lot to underdevelopment of East African countries. The State Minister for East African Community Shem Bagaine says the immigration department needs to be strengthened to prevent the issue of trafficking in persons in East Africa.

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The Member of Parliament at the East African Legislative Assembly on communication, trade and investments committee calls on the East African council of ministers to expedite the introduction of the industrial bill   for the East African community countries.

The EALA MPs made this recommendation while debating a committee report on the investment strategies in the EAC region presented by the Ugandan representative to EALA Fred Mukasa Mbidde in the sitting in Uganda parliamentary chamber chaired by Dan Kidega today. Mbidde said that this industrial bill is important for creation of jobs to the jobless people in the region especially the youth. He said that there should be actual employment within industries for East Africans instead of having investors coming with most of the workers and denying the people in the region jobs. He said that job creation must be part of the solution in fighting terrorism in the country so as the youth are not recruited in such activities.

Mbidde  also said that the opposition in Kenya has no basis to stop the inter trade between Uganda and Kenya regarding Uganda sugar export to Kenya  because the East African community treaty allows the five East African countries to have cross border trade in the region .

The Ugandan Minister for East African Affairs Shem Bageine agreed with EALA legislators that there should be a demarcation of business for the investors coming in the region and those done by the East Africans.

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The case filed by the Democratic Party and its Legal Advisor, Mukasa Fred Mbidde is against The Secretary General of the East African Community and The Attorney General of the Republic of Uganda.

DP sued the government of Uganda and the EAC protesting the procedure being followed in electing representatives of the East Africa Legislative Assembly.

Mbidde in the petition claims that the procedure which gives the ruling party majority spots is discriminatory against the small political parties thus denying them representation in the regional parliament.

DP contends that the EALA delegates are currently elected from among competitors by all MPs, meaning that the NRM with a huge majority will most likely take all the seats.

This procedure is different from the election of representatives for the African Union Parliament where the five delegates are elected based on the numeric strength of a particular party in parliament.

The case, application Number 6 of 2011 will be heard before the Principal Judge Honourable Mr. Justice Johnston Busingye, the Deputy Principal Judge Honourable Lady Justice Mary Stella Arach Amoko and Honourable Mr. Justice Isaac Lenaola.

According to a statement from the court registrar, the hearing will take place in open Court, 1^st Floor, Leopard Tours Company Limited Building along Arusha-Moshi Road.

Ultimate Media

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The team which went on Thursday 24^th June 2010 comprises of members of the East African Legislative Assembly and members of the Assembly from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania. The team will be in the country from 24^th June to 3^rd July 2010.

Burundi leader, Pierre Nkuruziza

Kiraso who is also the former member of Parliament for Kabarole district of Western Uganda appealed to all East African Community member countries to standardize their governance systems and take keen interest in each others electoral processes to ensure a quick political integration of the East African community member countries.

Meanwhile, there are already worries in Burundi’s ongoing elections after being boycotted by all opposition political parties and the disappearance of the country’s opposition leader Agathon Rwasa who escaped to the DR Congo.

The current political situation risks putting the country back in turmoil. Rwasa is the leader of NFL – the last Burundi rebel group to put down their weapons in the long Burundi civil war.

The opposition leaders are accusing the ruling party headed by Burundi President Pierre Nkuruziza of rigging the ongoing Burundi elections.

Solomon Akugizibwe, Ultimate Media

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