EALA Debates Rule Amendments and Urges Ministerial Presence for Efficient Functioning.
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) recently deliberated on amendments to its rules, guidelines, and operational laws to enhance its operational efficiency.
Kenyan EALA Member Kennedy Kalonzo Musyoka, speaking outside the Assembly in Arusha, highlighted both the points of agreement and disagreement during the discussions.
Musyoka explained that unresolved matters, such as the appointment of a Deputy Speaker, would require a voting process to proceed, emphasizing the pending nature of these issues until voting takes place.
"We've been in today's session discussing amendments to the rules, guidelines, and operational laws of the EALA. While we've agreed on some points, others, like the issue of having a deputy speaker, are pending until we cast our votes," stated Musyoka.
He also addressed the prolonged challenge of Ministers' absenteeism during sessions, often due to their numerous government duties, causing a slowdown in the Assembly's activities. He urged greater attendance to collectively advance the Community's work.
In a related context, Kenya's EAC Affairs Minister, Peninah Malonza, expressed her commitment to attend EALA sessions while managing her national ministerial responsibilities.
She stressed the importance of attending and collaborating with fellow EAC ministers to enhance participation.
Meanwhile, EALA Member David Ole Sankok from Kenya called for greater cooperation among EAC nations within the Common Customs Union, advocating for borderless trade to overcome the constraints set by colonial-era borders.
Regarding the proposed common currency, Sankok emphasized the need to align the currency values of EAC member states to establish a unified East African shilling by 2031, suggesting the comparison and harmonization of these values to facilitate smoother intra-community trade.
He suggested utilizing domestic currencies for trade among member countries instead of the compulsion to convert to US dollars, aiming to prevent significant financial losses caused by currency conversions.
"There's no need for a Rwandan to convert the franc to US dollars to conduct business in Tanzania. If they arrive in Tanzania, they'll need to convert the dollars to Tanzanian currency, resulting in substantial financial losses. We lose a significant amount after currency conversions, about 10%, from the $71 billion trade we have between our countries," Sankok highlighted.
He also advocated for the establishment the market where cross-border traders could transact without currency conversion, primarily supporting small-scale entrepreneurs, farmers, and individuals engaged in business, who might face difficulties due to currency exchanges before crossing borders.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment