Kampala , 24/12/2007
 
RWANDA AND BURUNDI HAVE YET TO NOMINATE THEIR MEMBERS TO THE EALA

BY Leo Odera Omolo

The two new partners to the East African Community Rwanda and Burundi will have to wait for atleast another three months to elect their representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly

It has emerged that the East African Community is yet to ratify changes to the Treaty to enable the two new member states to elect representatives to the regional Asembly .This ratification according to a Kenyan representatives will have to want until early next year.

The two countries were formerly admitted into the community barely five months ago after signing an accession treaty bringing its member states of the regional trading bloc to five Kenya,Tanzania and Uganda are the founding members.

Expanded East Africa community now boasts a total population of about 112 million people making it a formidable regional trading bloc in Africa.

According to Mr.Otieno Karan a Kenyan representative, it was expected that Rwanda and Burundi would nominate their representatives soon after their admission to the EAC.

The Assembly was scheduled to go on recess on December 18 soon after winding up it historic sitting in Zanzibar and resume its business in March 2008.

The EAC secretariat located in the northern Tanzania town of Arusha has been given an assurance that members from the two countries will have been picked by the time the next ordinary session of the EALA resumes.

“It is regrettable that the ratification of amendments to the treaty to enable Rwanda and Burundi to elect representatives to the EALA has been delayed for various reasons.” Says Otieno Karan

However,the process has been put in top gear and full assembly including the elected representatives from Rwanda and Burundi will be in place by the time of the next ordinary session of EALA “ said the EAC secretary general Ambassador Juma Mwapachu

Currently the EALA has 27 members nine from each of the three founding member states.But the members would be increased to 45 once Burundi and Rwanda picked up their representatives.

The EAC Treaty which came into force in 1999 is being amended to reflect an expanded EAC.The current Treaty recognizes Kenya ,Tanzania and Uganda as the only EAC partners states .It also says the Assembly is made up of 27 nominated members and five ex-officio members –the EAC secretary General and counsels to the EAC and three ministers responsible for EAC affairs.

After the amendments are ratified, Rwanda and Burundi will nominate nine members each to the Assembly as well as appoint their Ministers each for EAC affairs. This means the Assembly will have 45 elected members and seven ex- officio members.

A source in Nairobi revealed last week that the delay in the ratification of the amendments of the Treaty was partly caused by failure of the EAC summit to meet in November as earlier planned .The summit is made up of presidents of the member states.

It is understood that Kenya had requested the postponement of the summit meeting until after the December 27 General elections in which the incumbent president Mwai Kibaki is running for a second five year term in office.

Uganda is also reported to have requested a postponement so it could concentrate on the preparation for the recently concluded Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kampala last month Uganda President Yoweri Museveni is currently the chair of the summit.

“We believe some of the issues causing delays in the ratification of the amended Treaty could have been dealt with had the summit met in November: said Mr.Otieno Karan

Rwanda and Burundi will have to wait for a while to have representatives in the Assembly for they cannot nominate members until the Treaty is amended “said a source in Arusha.

However the same source said the absence of the two countries from the EALA has not deprived them of the benefits from the integration process.

“Everything that other EAC members enjoy is being enjoyed by Rwanda and Burundi” the source added.

The two countries signed the accession treaty after the inauguration of the second East African Legislative Assembly .the first EALA run from 2001 to 2006.

Ends

leooderaomolo@yahoo.com