Kampala-Parliament’s verification committee has confirmed 28 candidates to compete in the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) race.
The 20-member verification committee chaired by Mbarara City South MP, Mwine Mpaka, was on Tuesday named by the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among to consider nominees whose nomination papers had been received by the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige.
In its report presented by Mpaka and adopted by the House during the plenary sitting on Thursday, the committee said that all aspirants met the requirements laid down in Article 50 of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community (EAC) and Article 80 of the Constitution.
Article 50 of the Treaty provides that the National Assembly of each Partner State shall elect, not from among its members, nine members of the Assembly, who shall represent as much as it is feasible, the various political parties represented in the National Assembly, shades of opinion, gender and other special interest groups.
The Treaty also required a person to be qualified to be elected a member of the National Assembly, a citizen of that Partner State, not holding office as a Minister, not an officer in the service of the Community, and has proven experience or interest in consolidating and furthering the aims and the objectives of the Community.
On the other hand, Article 80 of the Constitution requires an EALA nominee to be a citizen of Uganda, a registered voter, has completed minimum formal education of advanced level or its equivalent, is of sound mind, is not a traditional or cultural leader, has not been adjudged or declared bankrupt under the law and has not been discharged and others.
The other requirements are that the nominee should not be under a sentence of death or imprisonment exceeding nine months imposed by any competent court without the option of fine, not holding or acting in an office the functions of which involve responsibility for or in connection with the conduct of election and others.
Mwine confirmed to parliament that all 28 candidates satisfied the requirements required to stand for EALA MP.
According to the report, the successful candidates include the six incumbent ruling National Resistence Movement (NRM) party, nominees. These are Rose Akol, Mary Mugyenyi, James Kakooza, George Odongo, Paul Musamali and Dennis Namara.
Also successfully verified are opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party candidate Harold Kaija, Uganda People’s Congress’s (UPC) Fred Ebil, Justice Forum (JEEMA) nominee Muhammad Kateregga as well as Democratic Party’s (DP) Gerald Siranda.
A total of 18 Independents have also been verified. Some of these are former Ngora Woman MP Amongin Jacquiline, former Buyende Woman MP Kadogo Babirye Veronica, Dr. Kapyata Dennis, Muwonge Daniel, Kiryowa Stella, Phiona Rwandalugali, Patience Naamara Tumwesirye, Bwengre Lauben, Kisembo Ronex Tendo, Bukyana Julius and others.
Parliament is scheduled to vote on all the candidates next week, Thursday 29th September 2022.
The term of the 4th East African Legislative Assembly ends on December 17th, 2022. EALA is an organ of the East African Community -EAC established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community.
The Assembly has a Membership comprising nine members elected by each Partner State; ex-officio members consisting of the Minister or Assistant Minister responsible for the East African Community Affairs from each Partner State; the Secretary-General and the Counsel to the Community.
Currently, the Assembly has 54 elected Members; and 8 ex-officio Members. Each of the East African Community member countries has to send nine legislators to the Arusha-based Assembly. The term of the current EALA members ends this year and elections are scheduled for December.
Elected representatives to EALA from the 7 Member States of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo – DRC serve a five-year tenure. The current 4th Assembly has 62 members, whose term commenced in 2017.
According to Article 50 of the East African Community Treaty, members are elected by their respective country’s national legislature. Article 50 also requires the said members to reflect their country’s political parties, opinions, gender composition, and other special groups.
Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament directed the Clerk to Parliament to gazette the names of the successful candidates and also pin their list on the Parliament notice board.
He also suspended any travels of Members of Parliament until the election of EALA legislators is concluded. Tayebwa also questioned EALA candidates to desist from placing campaign posters inside the parliament building but rather engage MPs, who form the electorate in a decent manner.
This followed a move by a section of candidates to put their campaign posters in elevators, toilets, and other places within the parliament building.
Source: URN
