EAC Speakers want their association recognised in the region

Parliamentary Speakers drawn from the East Africa Community have called for recognition of their association.

They want to work together to entrench the East Africa Community Speakers Bureau as an organ of the regional body.

The Speakers are drawn from Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Congo DRC.

During a three-day meeting held in Nairobi last week, the lawmakers accused the EAC Council of Ministers of having been a stumbling block in the recognition of their association.
Senate Speaker Amason Kingi apologised on behalf of the Council Ministers.

Kingi served as the Minister for East Africa Community Affairs in Kenya in 2008.
“I have come to realise that the Bureau of East Africa Community Speakers does not compete with the functions of the Council of Ministers as alluded in the past, having a firsthand experience I am going to be your Ambassador to ensure that we are fully recognized,” he said.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula who hosted his fellow Speakers as the outgoing Chairperson of the Bureau of EAC Speakers thanked them for having confidence in Kenya to hold the leadership mantle under former Speaker Justin Muturi and that he was glad to hand it over.
Other regional leaders present in the meeting were Uganda Parliament Speaker Anita Among, President of the Republic of Burundi Senate Emmanuel Sinzohagera, Vice President of the Senate of Rwanda Alvera Mukabaramba and Prime Vice President of the Senate of the Democratic Republic of Congo Eddy Kanki addressed the meeting.

Abbas Tarimba represented the Speaker of Tanzania while Gilbert Nduwayo represented the National Assembly of Burundi in the first meeting to be held physically for the last two years since the advent of COVID-19.