Has the East African community met a snag, or is it the economy? , The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has announced an indefinite suspension of its sessions due to financial challenges, apparently caused by member states failing to meet their financial contributions.
The decision was made following a meeting of the EALA Commission and committee leaders held on February 6, 2025, where an assessment of the Assembly’s financial situation was conducted.
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The Regional Bloc’s Communications Officer, Nicodemus Ajak Bior, confirmed through a statement issued on Saturday, February 8, 2025, that the lack of sufficient funds has hindered the Eala’s ability to carry out its legal and oversight functions.
The statement identified that the financial shortfall was the primary reason for the indefinite suspension and cancellation of planned activities.
In response to the crisis, EALA Speaker, Joseph Ntakarutimana, said that he had engaged in discussions with the EAC Council of Ministers Chairperson, Ms Beatrice Asukul Moe, and EAC Secretary-General, Ms Veronica Nduva.
He then urged member states that have not yet paid their contributions to settle their arrears promptly for the resumption of their activities.
“The situation would be reviewed again within three weeks; hopefully, financial issues would be resolved swiftly,” he said.
The EAC includes eight member states: Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Somalia.
Though the statement EALA expresses optimism that ongoing consultations would lead to a resolution, allowing the Assembly to resume its vital functions, raging war, political wrangling, and the looming global financial meltdown leave a lot to be desired.
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