The 10th edition of the annual East African Community Inter-Parliamentary games kicked off over the weekend with football and netball matches between Parliament of Uganda staff and their colleagues from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
EALA is organising while Parliament of Uganda is hosting the games that will run at various venues in Kampala and Wakiso until 18 December 2019. The first match was held at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende.
This year’s games have attracted the national parliaments of Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, Uganda and EALA, the regional assembly. Rwanda and South Sudan said they would not participate in this year’s games.
The Chairperson, Organising Committee, Peter Ogwang, said that the games are going to be a chance to enhance relations between the participating member states.
“We hope to use this opportunity to interact and build further on the block of integration; we encourage everyone to embrace the East African Community,” Ogwang said at a press conference held at Parliament Building.
The games which are a symbol of fostering integration in the East African region are being played under the theme; “EAC one spirit, one destiny – Strengthening Integration through 10 years of Inter-Parliamentary Games.”
The opening event started with a pre-tournament conference discussing the achievements of the EAC before a march by all participants from Parliament Building to Kibuye, along the way to St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende, one of the venues of the games.
The competition brought together participants from the six national parliaments, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and EALA.
The games are held at KCCA Grounds, MTN Indoor Arena Lugogo, St. Mary’s Secondary School Kitende, Parliament and Serena Kigo and Entebbe Golf Course.
The games being played involve: football, netball, volleyball, basketball, athletics, golf, tug of war and darts.
