The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has urged citizens across the region to submit petitions to parliament on issues affecting regional integration, saying the process provides a platform to amplify public concerns.
A delegation of EALA members, led by Speaker Peter Mathuki, addressed questions from the media regarding human rights violations, election violence, and disputes among East African Community (EAC) partner states. The members emphasized that while the assembly can highlight concerns, it has limitations in intervening on matters that remain under the sovereignty of individual member states.
“Matters of elections are sovereign, and the treaty is clear on preservation of our sovereignty. We operate as sovereign states, and many East Africans are still cautious about ceding powers to a single regional government,” the assembly stated. They also stressed the need for harmonization across governance protocols among partner states.
The assembly is currently holding 12 days of sittings in Kampala, followed by the inter-parliamentary games, which are expected to inject nearly one million dollars into the Ugandan economy through accommodation, food, and related activities. Kampala last hosted the assembly a year ago, while earlier plans to hold the sittings in Bujumbura did not materialize for undisclosed reasons.
Members of EALA encouraged citizens to place grievances before the assembly through petitions, which will be interrogated within the powers vested in the institution
. “We are the voices of the voiceless, and in many cases, we have diligently reported issues to the EAC ministers,” the assembly said.
During the current session, several bills and motions are set to be processed, including the Standardization, Accreditation, and Conformity Assessment Bill, as well as initiatives on cross-border trade and the development of regional policies for responsible social media use.