EDITORIAL: EALA must move fast to stamp members' independence

Burundi is sinking. The region must take serious note of the signs. These can come in form of charlatan decisions from Bujumbura that, while many will want to laugh off and think by the morrow Bujumbura would have heaved and corrected the wrong footing, there is a lot at stake. The recent faux pas from the restive member of the East African Community is the decision by the Bujumbura government to recall four of its nine members from the East African Legislative Assembly, a regional parliament, ahead of EALA sitting Monday in Kigali. Just as EALA was converging in Kigali for a two-week sitting, the Speaker of Burundian parliament, Pascal Nyabenda, wrote to EALA Speaker Daniel Kidega informing him about its intention to recall four of its nine representatives; Jeremie Ngendakumana, Martin Nduwimana, Yves Nsabimana and Fredereque Njenzebuhoro. But after consultations with the Counsel to the Community, Kidega overruled the decision, saying EALA has a strong framework on how to elect and suspend members from the House. Whereas it’s common for governments to recall their diplomats from states due to some impasse, or for envoys to be summoned by governments of jurisdiction, Bujumbura was pulling out a first and in total disregard of the tenets of the law in a democratic dispensation such as the one EALA serves. EALA must not stop at overruling Burundi parliament but move to protect its members from undue pressure from home governments. The regional parliament does not have members acting as representatives of constituencies but of the wider regional interests. The Treaty establishing the Assembly stipulates that it is an independent regional parliament with a mission to legislate, conduct oversight and represent the people of East Africa in a bid to foster economic, social, cultural and political integration. That is why it makes sense when EALA members expressed concern over the draconian move by Burundi, which they called a “raid on the Assembly, its independence and privileges.” EALA must protect its members from such unwarranted interferences so they can exercise their mandate independently.

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EDITORIAL: EALA must move fast to stamp members' independence