EALA to hold Plenary in Nairobi next week / President Mwai Kibaki expected to address Assembly on Tuesday, April 17, 2012
ARUSHA, Tanzania, April 11, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) resumes business next week by holding its Plenary in Nairobi, Kenya. The Plenary which takes place from Monday, April 16th 2012, through to Thursday, April 26, 2012 is the Fourth Meeting of the Fifth Session of the Second Assembly.
Kenya's President Dr. Mwai Kibaki who is also the Chairperson of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, is expected to deliver his speech at a Special Sitting on Tuesday, April 17, 2012.
The Assembly to be presided by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Abdirahin H. Abdi, shall during the two-week period debate on the following Bills:
• The EAC Customs Management Act (Amendment) Bill, 2011 – 2nd & 3rd Reading
• The EAC Community's Emblems (Amendment) Bill 2012 – 2nd & 3rd reading
• The EAC HIV & AIDS Prevention & Management Bill 2012 -2nd & 3rd Reading
• The EAC Conflict Management Bill 2011, 2nd & 3rd Reading
• The EAC Election Bill, 2012, 2nd & 3rd Reading
• The EAC Human Rights Bill, 2011 – 2nd & 3rd Reading
EALA shall during the Plenary period likewise
• receive and consider reports from various Committees of the Assembly
• consider Motions and Questions brought before the House.
EALA shall debate on the Report of the Committee on Legal, Rules and Privileges on Compliance to the Treaty provisions and EAC laws as well as the Report tabled by the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment on oversight and related matters.
A key Report on Tourism, Conservation and Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in Agriculture and another on Civil Society Organisations' activities for Women, Youth, Children, Persons with Disabilities and other Special groups are also to be tabled by the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources and the Committee on General Purpose respectively.
This is the last Plenary of the current Assembly to be held in Nairobi. Its last session in June 2012 shall also witness the inauguration of the third Assembly.
NOTE TO EDITORS ABOUT EALA
The East African Legislative Assembly is the legislative Organ of the East African Community. Its Membership consists of a total of 52, of whom 45 are elected Members (9 from each Partner State) and seven 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 of the Community is effected by means of Bills passed by the Assembly and assented to by the Heads of State, and every Bill that has been duly passed and assented to become an Act of the Community and takes precedent over similar legislations in the Partner States.
EALA in June 2010 launched its Strategic Plan and Website at its 5th Meeting of the third Session held in Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya respectively. The Strategic Plan is expected to go a long way to firmly entrench the EALA as the epitome of the Community's democracy and unity. The EALA website www.eala.org provides the Assembly with the means to communicate actively with the citizens of East Africa and beyond and enhances public understanding of the legislature's role and responsibilities.