Kisumu
  18/12/07
 
EAST AFRICAN LEGISTLATIVE ASSEMBLY WANT KISWAHILI COMMISION SECRETARIAT BASED IN ZANZIBAR

By Leo Odera Omolo

The East African Legislative Assembly recently held one of its rare meetings in Zanzibar and proposed the isle to be the headquarters of the East African Community’s recently established Kiswahili commission.

The Assembly Speaker Abdirahim Abdi, say it is the most suitable location ‘’given its traditional and propriety links’’ with the development of the language.

He said EALA would support Zanzibar’s recent application to host the headquarters.

Abdi made the announcement in Zanzibar where the Assembly has been holding its plenary sessions since December 2nd 2007.

The East African Kiswahili commission was among the four new commissions endorsed by community’s heads of state during an extraordinary summit held in June.

The others are the East African Science and Technology Commission, East African Civil Aviation Safety and Overnight Agency and the East African Health Research Commission.

The treaty for the establishment of the EAC cites Kiswahili as the Lingua Franca of the region. However, with the exception of Tanzania and Kenya where Kiswahili is a national language, there are only small pockets of Kiswahili speakers in the other three countries of Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda.

The Kiswahili Commission therefore has its job cut out promoting Kiswahili as the bloc’s lingua franca for commerce and social interaction.

EALA’s support comes barely five months after Rwanda and Burundi were officially admitted into the EAC.

Zanzibar participates in the 115 million people regional trading bloc as part of the limited Republic of Tanzania.

Mr. Abdi pointed out that Zanzibar was not in anyway relegated to the periphery in the affairs of the bloc out of the nine Tanzanian members of the East African Legislative Assembly three are from Zanzibar.

‘’It participates fully and benefits from the ongoing projects and programmes of the community,’’ Mr. Abdi said, citing the planned development of the port as well as the Airport, and promotion of Zanzibar and Pemba to establish the Island as the regional hub of trade, communications and other interactions in the enlarged communities.

‘’The Islands of Zanzibar and Pemba stand to benefit from the enlarged market,’’ he said.

EALA and other organs and institutions in the community plan to intensify their outreach, publicity and marketing activities in Zanzibar as well as in Rwanda and Burundi next year.

The ‘’special intensive sensitization programme,’’ according to the EAC secretariat, is intended to bring everyone on board to participate in the regional integration and development effort.

The sittings in Zanzibar are aimed at providing an opportunity for EALA members to familiarize themselves with development challenges and potential of Zanzibar as well as share experience in parliamentary and regional affairs with the members of the Zanzibar House of Representatives.

During the sittings in Zanzibar, EALA will hold plenary sessions to consider the EAC Joint Trade Negotiations Bill, 2007; the report of the Legal, Ruled and privileges Committee on the amendments of the EAC Treaty, and the report of the 117th meeting of the inter-parliamentary union.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com