• President Nkurunziza to address  bloc’s assembly

Rwandan Minister for East African Affairs, Monique Mukaruliza, is scheduled to read the 2009/2010 East African Budget on May 21, in Burundi.

Rwanda currently holds the chair of the EAC which renders Mukaruliza in her capacity as the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of the bloc, the authority to present the budget.

According to Patricia Hajabakiga, a lawmaker at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), the upcoming Burundi meeting is solely for the budget reading.

"The budget estimates are not yet out because a technical committee has to first revise it and also EALA before it is read by the Minister,” said Hajabakiga.

She said that the budget to be read finances EAC institutions including the Secretariat, EALA, the East African Court of Justice, Lake Victoria Basin Commission among others.

Meanwhile, latest developments indicate that the budget presentation will coincide with the Sixth Session of the Second Assembly of the EALA, that is also scheduled to take place in the Chambers of the Burundi National Assembly in Bujumbura starting from May 18 – 29.

According to the programme issued by EALA Acting Clerk, Kenneth Madete, the Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza will address the Assembly on Tuesday, May 19 on a wide range of issues pertaining to the EAC regional integration.

The proceedings of the assembly are expected to be presided over by the Speaker of EALA Abdirahin Haithar Abdi.

According to a release from EAC Secretariat, the sixth meeting of the Second Assembly will debate on the EAC Tourism and Wildlife Management Bill, 2008 and the Appropriation Bill 2009.

The East African Legislative Assembly is the legislative organ of the five-state East African Community.

It has a total of 52, of whom 45 are elected members (9 from each Partner State) and seven ex-officio members who include Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs from the Partner States, the Secretary General and Counsel of the Community).

The East African Legislative Assembly has legislative functions as well as oversight of all East African Community matters.

Ends