The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is holding two-week session Uganda beginning today to Thursday, January 26, 2017 to deliberate on among others, the retirement benefits of senior staff of the East African Community (EAC).
According to a release, EALA will debate the EAC Retirement Benefits for Specified Heads of Organs Bill, 2016, which makes provision for retirement benefits in respect of the former President(s) of the East African Court of Justice, former Speaker(s) of the EALA and former Secretary(ies) General of the EAC–specified leaders who have honourably served and completed their terms of service in the Community.
The Assembly is to be presided over by the Speaker Rt. Hon Daniel F. Kidega, and is also expected to be addressed by President Yoweri Museveni, at a Special Sitting on January 17.
Meanwhile, the key Bill on the agenda during the period is that on EAC Gender Equality and Development 2016 that makes provision for gender equality, protection and development in the Community.
The Bill was introduced during a sitting held in August 2016 in Arusha, Tanzania. It sailed through the First Reading and was committed for public participation thereafter.
Three other Bills; the Administration of East African Court of Justice Bill, 2016, the EAC Cross-Border Trade in Services Bill, 2016 and the EAC Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Bill, 2016 are also expected to be on the cards.
The EAC Prohibition of Female Genital Mutilation Bill, 2016, originally moved by Hon Dora Byamukama, is seen as critical in outlawing the cultural practice.
Other matters also to be deliberated on during the two-week period are reports from various Committees of the House, including that of the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment on the status of the Railway Infrastructure Development in the EAC and that of the Accounts Committee on the Audit Report. The Report of the Committee on Legal Rules and Privileges on Procurement and that of the Regional Affairs and Conflict Resolution with respect to the issues raised under the African Peace and Security Architecture Project (APSA) of the Community.
The Assembly is also expected to pose pertinent questions on matters of the integration process to the EAC Council of Ministers.
The EALA Sittings are held in rotational principle in line with Article 55 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC. Article 55 (1) states that the Meetings of the Assembly shall be held at times and places that the Assembly may appoint. The Assembly however meets at least once a year in Arusha, Tanzania as it determines.
The tenure of the 3rd Assembly is expected to end in June 2017.
