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viagra no prescriptionsBy PATRICK WACHIRA AND JUDY KUNYIHA

Kenya’s President Mwai Kibaki wants EAC Partner States to fully implement the Common Market Protocol to ensure citizens of the region reap all benefits.
“We should also fast track the transposition of national laws which  contradict  the Common Market spirit to enable its successful implementation”, he said.

Kibaki, the Chairperson of the Summit of EAC Heads of State and President of Kenya, was speaking during the State of EAC Address at the Parliament of Uganda, Kampala, Uganda last month. “Trade in the region has increased from 2$bn in 2005 to 4$bn in 2010, and that the East African people are continuing to expect the benefits of the community. Therefore, we need to hasten the pace of the integration,” President Kibaki remarked.

President Kibaki called for the diversification of the region’s economies noting the EAC should constantly mechanise agriculture, industrialise and enhance tourism and the ICT among other growth sectors. “While it is commendable that tourist arrivals to our region have now surpassed the 4 million mark, this number is still small, indeed smaller than what individual countries such as South Africa and Egypt receive” the President noted.

“We must, therefore, invest in tourism promotion in innovative ways including through projects that will, for example, offer tourists to our region opportunities to visit circuits that will take them to different parts of East Africa,” he said.  The President made the address to Members of the EALA who are in Kampala for the 3rd Meeting of the 5th session.  In attendance were EAC officials, senior government officials, Members from the Parliament of Uganda, representatives of the diplomatic corps and other stakeholders.

The President nodded the considerable progress made towards upgrade of the regional road network projects and called for the upgrade and modernisation of the EAC rail networks to spur further progress.   President Kibaki lamented the shortage of energy which continued to hamper progress and development in the region. “The shortfall in the supply of power remains a major constraint to economic development in the EAC economies”, he said.   Speaker of the EALA, Rt Hon Abdirahin H. Abdi congratulated Kibaki for steering the coalition government noting that the world had plenty to learn from Kenya’s success story.

The Speaker hailed President Kibaki for his outstanding leadership contribution to Kenya and the EAC.  The EALA Speaker emphasised that the Assembly fully supported the initiative for peace in the entire region and observed that Kenya’s on-going operation against the Al –Shabab in Somalia served as a testimony for peace in the entire region.

Abdi lauded the President for his contribution to the constitutional dispensation in Kenya.  “Kenya has enjoyed and still continues to enjoy your rich constitutional wisdom.  Few of us know that you and a few others drafted the document which was to become the first constitution of Kenya.  You also presided over the recent new Constitution which is now a beacon of hope for the country,” the Speaker said.

The Speaker urged citizens of the region to elect visionary and credible leaders when the elections are held.

“Your Excellency, the people of Kenya will soon go into general elections to choose their leaders.  We wish them peaceful elections and to assure you that people of East Africa are with them.   The same goes to all East Africans interested in contesting as Members of EALA,” Abdi said in reference to the elections that Partner States shall be holding in June to elect EALA representatives. Meanwhile, the Assembly shall this month deliberate on the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Bill, EAC Transboundary Eco-Systems Bill and the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill. The Assembly will also pose questions to the Council of Ministers, debate and adopt various Committee Reports, Motions and Resolutions.

During its life, the current EALA has, under its belt, dispensed with the following Private Members Bills: The East African Community Tourism and Wildlife Management Bill, 2008. The East African Community Transboundary Ecosystems Management Bill, 2010  The East African Community Service Commission Bill, 2010  The Inter- University Council of East Africa (Amendment) Bill, 2010 The Administration of the East Last month, the Speaker appealed to the Partner States to amend their laws to enable full implementation of the Common Market Protocol, “whose successful implementation will transform and positively revolutionise the EAC region. It is clear that the Partner States have made considerable progress with regards to the free movement of goods. However, the implementation of other provisions of the Common Market Protocol especially that regarding other ‘Freedoms’ evidently still lags behind”.   
He said It was important to note that the laws enacted by the EAC “have the full force of law and take precedence over similar laws in the Partner States” on matters related to the Community.

Article 49 of the EAC Treaty establishes EALA as the legislative organ of the Community.  Like most legislatures, EALA has as its core functions legislating, oversight and representation and its mandate says it:

Shall debate and approve the budget of the Community;

Shall consider annual reports on the activities of the Community, annual audit reports of the Audit Commission and any other reports referred to it by the Council;

Shall discuss all matters pertaining to the Community and make recommendations to the Council as it may deem necessary for the implementation of the Treaty;

May for purposes of carrying out its functions, establish any committee or committees for such purposes as it deems necessary;