The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has sworn Rt Hon Ali Kirunda Kivejinja, Uganda’s 3rd Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, as an Ex-Officio Member.
Kivejinja, 81, took the Oath of Allegiance administered by the Clerk of EALA, before the EALA Speaker Rt Hon Daniel Fred Kidega.
Kivejinja, who replaces the late Eriya Kategaya who died in 2013, was ushered into the House by Hon Bernard Mulengani, Hon Dora Byamukama and Hon AbuBakr Ogle. He was appointed to the Ugandan cabinet in November 2015 and took the oath in accordance with Rule 5 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly.
The EAC Treaty under Article 48 provides that the Assistant Minister, Deputy Minister of Minister of State may only participate in the meetings of the Assembly when the substantive Minister responsible for East African Community Affairs is unable to participate.
Mr Kivejinja has served in several positions in the Government of Uganda. In 1986, he was appointed Minister of Relief and Social Rehabilitation. He has also since served as Minister of Internal Affairs. Kivenjinja, who holds a BSc in Zoology has been Senior Presidential Advisor for Internal Affairs to President Yoweri Museveni.
Kivejinja, who has also served as the head of the Veterans’ League of the ruling NRM, is also author of Uganda: The Crisis of Confidence, a book about Uganda’s political history.
