East African Legislative Assembly
PRESS RELEASE
ASSEMBLY ADOPTS KEY REPORT ON SENSITISATION ACTIVITIES
East African Legislative Assembly, Nairobi, Kenya: 25th November 2016:
The
Assembly is recommending that Sensitisation and awareness on the
integration process be institutionalized as a continuous activity on its
agenda. This is in addition
to a raft of resolutions it adopted late yesterday as it debated a key
Report on Sensitisation.
The report follows the sensitization activities carried out by the Assembly between October 27th 2016 to November 7th, 2016 in the Partner
States.
The sensitisation, the third such series this year for EALA, targeted
various stakeholders in outreach and was anchored on the theme: “EAC Integration Agenda: Accessing
the gains”
In
the report, the Assembly urges the Partner States to fully implement
the Common Market Protocol which provides for free movement of people,
capital and services
among others, to allow citizens of East Africa to enjoy their rights.
With it comes the need for the Partner States to eliminate Non-Tariff
Barriers which impact negatively on intra- Regional trade activities.
On
matters of peace and security, the Assembly wants the matters
prioritised for people to appreciate the benefits of integration. This
includes the fastracking
of the implementation of the EAC Peace and Security Protocol.
The
Assembly is also urging EAC Summit of Heads of States to put more
efforts to fast track the on-going peace negotiation for the Republic of
Burundi. Other
areas include issuance of work permits to facilitate those who wish to
work in EAC Partner States as well as addressing the issue of
Certificates of Rules of Origin to facilitate cross border trade.
In
a bid to foster integration, the Assembly is urging the Summit of Heads
of State to upgrade Kiswahili to be one of the official languages of
the Community.The
sensitization programmes targeted Parliamentarians, youth groups,
representatives of the business community and local government
authorities. Other groups include Government officials, students and
media in the respective Partner States.
The objectives of the Sensitisation activities included
creating
awareness amongst the people of East Africa on the integration process;
gains and challenges of integration and enhancing the mutual
relationships and sustainable
networking between EALA and the people of East Africa.
In
Rwanda, the EALA Chapter toured the Rwanda Standards Board to hold
discussions with the stakeholders. Also visited were the Nemba One Stop
Border Post on the
Rwanda/Burundi border as well as a tour to the Rusumo One Stop Border
Post bordering Rwanda and Tanzania and at Gatuna on the Rwanda/Uganda
frontier.
The
Uganda Chapter on its part, met with students at the Kyambogo
University before meeting with representatives of the Chamber of
Commerce. The Chapter also held
talks with the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda, Rt Hon Rebecca
Alitwala Kadaga.
They
later visited the Uganda Heart Institute which is an EAC Centre of
Excellence and the Uganda Cancer Institute. The Chapter also visited the
Kyambogo University,
before holding Public Hearings on four Bills. The Bills are the EAC
Gender Equality and Development Bill, 2016, EAC Prohibition of Female
and Genital Mutilation Bill, 2016, the EAC Whistle Blower Protection
Bill, 2016 and the EAC Retirement Benefits for Specified
Heads of Organs Bill, 2016.
In
Burundi, the EALA Chapter paid a courtesy call on the President of the
Burundi National Assembly and the Minister for EAC Affairs before
heading to Muyinga Province.
There, the Chapter met with the Governor before proceeding to the
Kobero One Stop Border Post. The Chapter also held talks with the
Business communities living at the border, where discussions on the
benefits of integration took centre stage. The EALA Burundi
also held discussions in Ngozi Province with various stakeholders as
well as public hearings on a number of bills.
The
Chapter in the United Republic of Tanzania toured the Immigration
Department in Dar es Salaam. They also paid a courtesy call on the Chama
Cha Mapinduzi Secretary
General and EALA Speaker Emeritus, Rt Hon Abdulrahman Kinana, as
well as sensitisation of different stakeholders in the coastal areas of
Dar, Tanga and the environs. The Chapter led by Hon Makongoro
Nyerere, further visited the border post of HoroHoro,
which neighbours that of Lunga-Lunga on the Kenyan side where they
sensitised citizens who reside on both sides of the borders.
In
Kenya, EALA visited Government authorities including courtesy calls on
the Immigration department and its parent Ministry of Internal and
Co-ordination of National
Government. The Members similarly met with the Directorate of
Immigration where key matters on the e-Passport and border management
were discussed and at the Communications Authority of Kenya.
The
report presented to the House also cites a number of challenges of the
integration process. They include the overlapping of RECs Memberships by
Partner States
which continue to pose harmonisation and co-ordination challenges and
lack of political commitment among Partner States.
Weak
institutions that lack the capacity to enforce sanctions against
Partner States that fail to implement Protocols are also cited. Other
challenges include Non-Tariff Barriers,
poor infrastructure and energy shortages and corruption.
Hon
Isabelle Ndahayo acknowledged that the sensitization programmes were a
success and remarked that Burundi was safe and welcoming, contrary to
sections of the
report. She however said the issue of certificate of origin was least
understood and that there was need for more attention to be given to the
matter.
Hon. Shyrose Bhanji supported the report stating unity in the region could only be achieved if there was awareness.
“EAC integration is not exclusive to politicians and corporates in the region, but it is a matter for every citizen of the EAC,” she said.
She
stressed the point that senistisation is about communicating with
stakeholders about what is happening in the Community. Hon Dr Odette
Nyiramilimo on her
part, said sensitisation was playing a key part in bringing the
Assembly closer to the people.
Others
who rose up in support of the report were Hon Dr Martin Nduwimana, Hon
Maryam Ussi, Hon Jean Marie Muhirwa, and Hon Oda Gasinzigwa. Others were
Hon Martin
Ngoga and Hon Yves Nsabimana, Hon Judith Pareno and Hon Pierre Celestin
Rwigema.
The Assembly resumes its Sitting on Monday next week.
-Ends-
Hakuna maoni:
Chapisha Maoni