The Senate Speaker attends the 18th meeting of the Bureau of the EAC Parliaments Speakers

The Senate Speaker, Right Honourable Emmanuel Sinzohagera, attended the 18^th meeting of the Bureau of the EAC Parliaments Speakers, held at the Emara Ole-Sereni Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

Prior to the meeting, he participated in the work of setting up the new Bureau and witnessed the handover between the outgoing Bureau Chairperson, Rt Honourable Dr Tulia Ackson, currently Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, and the incoming Bureau Chairperson, Rt Honourable Moses Wetang’ula, Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya.

In his intervention at this meeting, the Speaker of the Upper House of the Parliament of Burundi recalled that the main role of EAC is to broaden and deepen cooperation between partner states, particularly in the political, economic and social fields for their common interest. He invited the new Bureau to work under this vision, so that some conflicts that persist between some member countries of the Community cease. All the East African people in their diversity will enjoy effective freedom and integration.

Right Honourable Sinzohagera submitted to the Bureau of the EAC Parliaments Speakers, a proposal from Burundi, which consists of reimbursing the arrears of contributions of member countries in Tanzanian Shillings. He indicated that Burundi is ready to host the 20^th meeting of the Bureau of EAC Parliaments Speakers, in November 2025 as well as the inter-parliamentary games of the same year.

EAC Parliaments Speakers raised the challenges facing the Community, including ongoing conflicts in some member countries, natural disasters and the impact of climate change. They also discussed the issue of official languages ​​within the Community, as some countries want French and Kiswahili to be used as well.

Participants also discussed about the preparation for the Inter-Parliamentary games, scheduled for 6 to18 December this year in Mombasa, Kenya.