DEBATE: Should the East African Legislative Assembly be dissolved?

It is time to go back to the drawing table The third East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) which began its time two and a half years ago, has proved to East Africans that they are incapable of serving as per their mandate. They have spent more time debating matters that are irrelevant to the East African tax payers; they have spent the time bickering over personal differences. All these events have little to do with what the tax payers are concerned about. All these do little to contribute to the regional integration that tax payers are eagerly awaiting. An example is that a farmer in Musanze cares little about who the house speaker is, he is more interested in regional integration that will enable him easily export his products at fair rates. A real estate developer doesn’t pay taxes to see his elected representatives in the house call each other names and boycott sessions when things do not go their way. All he wants is to buy cement from across the border smoothly at fair rates thanks to economic integration. But instead what do they get? Boycotts from members when they don’t get their way, resignations by members from commissions when there’s a disagreement, and gross details on insults traded during the assembly’s trip abroad. Last month, the same assembly held a two week sitting in Kigali where they were meant to debate important matters such as how to deal with terrorism. However, the members chose to take an alternative path, they adjourned sittings, and they walked out to avoid voting, traded insults and enjoyed their time in Kigali. As if this was not enough, hefty allowances were handed to them alongside privileges like accommodation in three star hotels. Some of the defenders of the assembly say that it is a young assembly –third assembly- and being in the formative stages, conflict should be expected before real work can begin. But I doubt tax payers are that patient. I doubt tax payers have the patience to see a few people play around with their money. Other defenders have said that August houses are meant to be places of agreements and disagreements and a little heat in the house is not enough reason to close it down. But that heat should also have some visible outputs, which the current house has failed to deliver. If progress is our real intention, if integration is as important as we say it is, we should not allow ourselves to be represented by most of our EALA members. We should not allow our taxes to go to waste; we should get value for our money. collinsmwai@gmail.com EALA is a pillar of integration Dissolving the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is uncalled for. EALA being the pillar of integration for the East African Community member states, dissolving it would be a huge mistake. EALA can be compared to a parliament or legislature of any given state which means that dissolving it would require a lot of consultation which need time and resources, most of which is tax-payers money. If EALA is dissolved, most of the work of the East African Community will come to a standstill, thus directly and indirectly affecting businesses in the region. The annoying thing is that the reasons and excuses given for the need to dissolve EALA are weak. The bickering and individual fights should not be the basis to disband EALA. There is no need to waste time and resources discussing ‘gross misconduct’ of a member when all they should be doing is to discuss and pass bills that are supposed to benefit and better the lives of the East African people. Why dissolve EALA over the misconduct of a few individuals? Instead of dissolving the whole legislature let the few members be kicked out and others continue with business as required. Since members are indirectly elected and they are voted into the assembly by their respective national assemblies, then the speaker or the people in charge can write to the national assembly giving reasons why they need to expel or suspend a specific member instead of dissolving the entire EALA. Even if EALA is dissolved, I don’t think that the issues of misconduct and bickering that exist in the assembly will be resolved. These members are from different backgrounds with different cultures and they are bound to clash at any moment when discussing issues because they see things differently. Since one of EALA’s functions is to debate and approve the budget of the East African Community, I believe they are the ones with the power to see that tax payer’s money is not misused, thus they should not support the dissolving of the assembly over petty issues. Therefore, before the EALA members begin to sign statements that lead to the dissolving of the assembly, they need to rethink, and put into consideration the time and resources to be spent and weigh the options. They should ask themselves, is it worth it? doreen.umutesi@newtimes.co.rw

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DEBATE: Should the East African Legislative Assembly be dissolved?