EALA set to swear-in Kenya representatives

MARC NKWAME in Arusha

THE East African Legislative Assembly, the regional lawmaking body based in Arusha, intends to swear in the remaining nine representatives from Kenya before the end of this month.

“It is expected that next week … possibly from Wednesday … Kenya will be staging the country’s elections to select the nine legislators that will be representing the country into EALA,” explained Mr Bobi Odiko, spokesperson for the EALA here.

According to Mr Odiko, once that takes place, then the nine legislators from Kenya would be brought to Arusha for official swearing in at the bloc’s Parliament Chambers, located at the East African Community head offices.

Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and, recently South Sudan, had already submitted names of their representatives to EALA; only Kenya which had to undergo series of national elections this year was yet to send its nine MPs to the Assembly.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Jubilee administration have so far produced the list of 15 members from which a ‘select five’ officials would be representing the party to the EALA from next year.

Among the nominees are: Former National Assembly Clerk Mr Justin Bundi, former Kamukunji MP Mr Simon Mbugua and former Constitution Implementation Commission Chairperson Mr Charles Nyachae – all among the 15 individuals on the list presented by Majority Leaders, Mr Aden Duale (National Assembly) and Mr Kipchumba Murkomen (Senate) last week.

Some 111 people had applied for the vacancies but just five of the selected 15 would be selected to represent the Jubilee party at the Arusha-based regional Parliament. The other four will be coming from the opposition side to complete the country’s slot of nine legislators allotted to each of the six EAC partner states.

The nominees are: Florence Jematiah Sergon, Wanjiku Muhia, Jackson Kipkemoi Kosgei, Irene Cherop Masit, Elizabeth Wangui, Charles Ayako Nyachae, Doris Donya Aburi, Abdulaziz Ali Farah, Adan Mohamed Nooru, Mpuru Aburi, Justin Nthiiri Bundi, Simon Ng’ang’a Mbugua, Eunice Wanjiru Karanja, Julie Njeri Waweru and Joe Muriithi Muriuki.

Presenting the list, Mr Duale said that the selection had met regional and ethnic representation as well as gender balance. Raila Odinga and his National Super Alliance (NASA) is yet to submit his list of nominees to the Clerks of Parliament.

The EALA is the lawmaking organ of the Community and has a cardinal function to further EAC objectives, through its legislative, representative and oversight mandate -- established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.

The Assembly has a membership comprising of 45 elected Members (nine from each Partner State), and seven ex-officio Members consisting of the Minister or Cabinet Secretary responsible for EAC Affairs from each Partner State, the Secretary-General and the Counsel to the Community: Total, 52 Members.