Move to elect youth into Eala halted

Jean Claude Barimuyabo from Rwanda.

What you need to know:

The regional Assembly, which has just ended its marathon session in Nairobi, has withdrawn a resolution on the matter moved by one of its members.

Arusha. A move to elect youth representatives into the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) has been halted.

The regional Assembly, which has just ended its marathon session in Nairobi, has withdrawn a resolution on the matter moved by one of its members.

Jean Claude Barimuyabo from Rwanda had moved a resolution urging the East African Community (EAC) partner states to ensure elections of youth and National Assemblies.

However, it was withdrawn following a debate where the majority of members urged the mover to synchronize the same with the EAC Youth Council Bill, 2017, currently before the House.

Mr. Barimuyabo in his resolution had urged the EAC member countries to allocate special slots for youth in the election of members of the National Assemblies.

The member was concerned that neither the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC nor the Eala Act, 2011 provided special slots for the youth.

"The youth constituted 63 per cent of the total population of the EAC and as such it is important to have representation of this sizeable percentage of the population at the Eala and National Assemblies", he said.

However, Dr Abdallah Makame (Tanzania) rallied for all interested groups to be included in the Bill for more inclusivity.

A Ugandan legislator Paul Musamali argued that the resolution could go a long way in enriching the pending Bill before the House.

Dr Ngwaru Maghembe (Tanzania) remarked that Article 51 of the EAC Treaty provides for how members and other special groups are to be elected in the House.

Ms Mary Mugyenyi (Uganda) termed the youth as very capable and urged them to compete for the available slots in Eala and other political platforms in the region.

 

The EAC Youth Council Bill, 2017 was moved by the Ugandan member Susan Nakawuki in 2014 and had sailed through the First Reading by May last year.

The Bill attempts to harmonize the laws and regulations pertaining to youth development in the region.

It also aims to promote full involvement of the youth in people-centred integration process in the region.