East African Legislative Assembly fury on ministers skipping budget sessions

Arusha. The East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) is up in arms over ministers from some partner states who skip regular sittings as required.

 Members of the House specifically pointed accusing fingers to ministers holding the EAC Affairs docket in their respective states.

They said it was a pity that at times the budget process had to be reconsidered because of failure by some ministers to attend pre-budget meetings as required.

A Motion by an Eala member from South Sudan Kim Gai said such excuses should not be entertained as they undermined operations of the Community.

"A partner state that does not participate in the entire budget process and opposes Eala resolutions shall be liable for punitive action," he said. 

Ministers holding the EAC Affairs portfolio are members of the EAC Council of Ministers, a powerful policy organ of the Community. 

Among the key functions of the organ,is consideration of the annual budget of the Community before it is approved by the Assembly.

But Eala, the legislative organ of the EAC, feels that ministers from some partner states do not attend the budget sessions regularly as required. 

The situation, Mr Gai said, has gone to an extent where some partner states decline Assent of the appropriation Bill even as they are absent in the budget processes.

For instance, as of the last two financial years, members of the Council delayed appearing before the Eala's General Purpose Committee (GPC) which scrutinizes the budget. 

This, in turn, caused a delay in the passing of the budget, adversely affecting the activities of the regional organization.

The activities affected, he went on, include those of the Assembly "which are supposed to be funded by contributions from the partner states".

He said failure by the ministers to attend the GPC meetings during the consideration of the budget estimates and build up consensus was a drawback.

For the past two financial year (FY) budget estimates, some members of the Council (of Ministers) declined the Committee report "thus leading to re-consideration of the budget process".

The House, which has been holding its session in Nairobi, resolved that all EAC Affairs ministers from all the partner states should attend the Eala budget sittings.

The annual budget of the EAC for 2023/24 financial year tabled before the House in June last year totalled $103.8 million.