The East African Legislative Assembly sitting in Kampala will debate reports focusing on election management, non-tariff barriers and management of wildlife in the region among others.

The EALA Speaker, Joseph Ntakirutimana, made the revelation at a media briefing at Parliament House on Monday, 21 October 2024.

EALA will hold its plenary sittings in Uganda’s parliament from 22 October to 12 November 2024 as part of its legislative culture of holding sittings in different East African Community (EAC) member states with the aim to strengthen regional ties, facilitate cooperation, and promote economic integration

“The last time we came to Uganda was in January 2018, I hope the time we have here is enough to integrate more and I invite members of the fourth estate to cover these sittings,” Ntakirutimana said.

Some of the Bills to be considered include the Statistics, Standardisation, Accreditation and Conformity Assessment Bill, which was considered for the first time in 2018 and the Financial Services Bill.

Additionally, the legislative arm of the community will also consider private members’ Bills like the EAC Youth Bill by Hon. Gerald Siranda and the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Bill by Hon. Jacquiline Amongin, both Uganda’s representatives to EALA.

Hon. George Odongo, the leader of delegation of the EALA Uganda Chapter, said that there has been a lot of interest from the public on the works of the assembly and so there was need for all stakeholders to coordinate.

President Yoweri Museveni will formally open the EALA session on Tuesday, 22 October 2024 at State House, Entebbe.

The membership of the Arusha-based EALA currently stands at 63, with nine elected members from each of the eight EAC partner states of Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo, South Sudan, Uganda, and Somalia and nine ex officio members. 

However, Somalia is yet to elect its members to the regional assembly.