The Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya, Moses Wetang’ula, has called for a special summit for the East African Community dedicated to revamping the East African Legislative Assembly.
Speaking Thursday during a breakfast meeting in his office with the sixth Speaker of EALA, Joseph Ntakirutimana, Speaker Wetang’ula said that EALA was a great concept in the region but had not been natured to grow hence remaining static.
Speaker Wetang’ula congratulated Speaker Ntakirutimana for his election as the sixth EALA Speaker.
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He asked the Speaker to ensure that he turns around EALA’s fortunes by bringing in fresh vigour and energy by offering strategic leadership drawn from his vast and rich experience in parliament, executive, and diplomatic circles, adding that great men built institutions.
”The first Speaker of EALA was obvious, active and vibrant, and he used to be felt in all member countries. I also ask Speaker Ntakirutimana to try and maintain that tempo,” he said.
He said that he prides himself in EALA that is usually at the centre of his thoughts; having served as chair of Foreign Affairs Ministers of East Africa when he was Kenya’s foreign affairs minister, he supervised the competition to give East Africa its anthem, which he said was pleasing to hear it being played in the region.
”Even when you look at the European Parliament, it stated exactly the same as EALA by the respective parliaments of member states through electoral college by electing respective members, but within fifteen years European Union had transformed into the election of its members by universal sovereignty and that is the only way we can get the general population to know and understand about EALA,” he said.
He asked the new Speaker to streamline EALA operations, adding that he was privileged to have come from the country of origin of the current chair of the East Africa Community, which he said was an advantage for ease of coordination.
”I propose that you Speak to your head of state, who is the East African chair and ask him to organize a summit and even invite Speakers of the respective parliaments to attend we discuss how we can make EALA more active in its roles so that you do not have so many hurdles in making things run,” he said.
He said the Speaker and EALA MPs have a busy calendar to revamp and rejuvenize EALA.
Still, they must first have political goodwill to unlock the legislative powers of EALA.
The Speaker further advised Speaker Ntakirutimana to take the initiative of engaging EAC Speakers from the nine respective parliaments, who he said are more than willing to meet and discuss issues of EALA.
”We are ready to sit as Speakers and see how best to address the EALA issues and harmonize to have a situation where whatever is available for Kenyan MP in EALA is also available for a Uganda MP. This will help have commonality and harmony in available opportunities,” he said.
Wetang’ula said that EAC desired common markets, education systems, and trade, among other operation elements, for an effective block in EAC.
”Here in Kenya, we have a customs union, but every day you hear of Uganda barring Kenyans import from entering the country, we have free movements of people, goods and services but every day you hear of a Kenyan having been jailed in Tanzania for illegal entry,” he said.
Speaker Wetang’ula noted that when he was the Foreign Affairs Minister, there used to be the foreign affairs committee and the attorney general committee. They can be promising avenues to influence EALA issues if they are still there.
He challenged the Kenyan MPs in EALA also to engage the Kenyan Parliament committee that oversights the EALA ministry adding that committees are not limited to what they do, and they can generate legislations or motions that can help bring more awareness and other things to EALA.
”I know you have severally asked me whether this parliament can take you as full time or make you an appendage to this house but looking at our constitution, there are serious limitations since the constitution describes how the membership of this house should be,” he said.
The Speaker said that member states fund the community apart from donor funds from the European Union and other donors, indicating that there has been a severe problem of persistent defaulters on subscriptions to run EALA, saying that they were not doing East Africa good.
He emphasized that EAC has a shared history and should always pull together for the public good and the region’s development.
On his part, Speaker Ntakirutimana thanked Speaker Wetang’ula for the warm reception and asked him to take the lead role in ensuring Speakers from member state parliaments help address the many challenges facing the EALA.
He said they have had minimal budget constraints, saying there is a high need to relook into Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community that helped form the EALA and revise it.
”The budget allocated to EALA has steadily declined over the last three years despite the expansion of the Assembly in terms of Membership and oversight activities,” he said.
He said that the budget reduction had affected the Assembly’s budget lines adversely in terms of removal/suspension/reduction of some critical activities such as outreach and sensitization, Inter-Parliamentary Relations Seminar Series and reduced committees and committees and plenary days.
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