By PSCU and MKT Reporter
Clerks of the National Assemblies and Parliaments of the East Africa Community (EAC) yesterday held a meeting to prepare working documents and agenda for the Bureau of EAC Speakers’ scheduled for tomorrow.
The Bureau of EAC Speakers was established in 2008 with a mandate to establish a functional working relationship between and among the Speakers of the then five EAC Partner States and EALA, with a view to enhancing the role of the respective National Legislatures in the EAC integration agenda. Since then, the Membership has increased to eight and EALA.
Tomorrow’s meeting, which will be the 17th since its establishment will be held in Nairobi.
According to Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure of the Speakers’ Bureau, the Clerk of the East African Legislative Assembly heads the Secretariat of the Bureau and coordinates all activities under the Bureau.
During the meeting, the Clerks considered the report of the 13th EAC Inter-Parliamentary Games (IPG) held in Kigali, Rwanda in December, 2023 and the preparatory arrangements of the 14th Edition of the EAC Inter-Parliamentary Games to be held in Kenya later this year.
The Clerks are the technical officers of their respective National Legislatures and therefore comprise the technical arm of the Bureau of EAC Speakers.
EALA holds the promise of charting a course towards a more integrated and harmonized regional legislative landscape, highlighting the crucial role of parliamentary collaboration in advancing the aspirations of East African nations.
The meeting is part of the regional officials strategy of seeing a more cohesive East African Community.
The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is established under Article 49 of EAC Treaty as the legislative organ of the community. The core functions of EALA include Legislation, Oversight and representation.