EALA Representatives Advocate for Unity and Development in East Africa
Nairobi, Kenya – During a recent plenary session held in Nairobi, members of the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) underscored the importance of fostering unity across East Africa to advance integration and development within the region. The session, part of a routine regional tour, brought together seven EALA representatives, including South Sudan’s Sakai Deng, who are currently engaging with the Kenyan public as part of their “meet the people” tour.
According to Kenya News Agency, the visit is crucial for identifying and discussing opportunities that could be integrated into the East African Community framework. Deng emphasized the significance of transcending geographical boundaries to unify the continent and praised Kenya for its strides in increasing female representation in elective positions under President William Ruto’s administration.
The EALA members convened at a hotel in Ewaso Nyiro, Narok County, where they were hosted by Kenyan representative to the Assembly, David Sankok. Sankok expressed EALA’s robust support for Hon Raila Odinga’s candidacy for the African Union Commission Chairman position, citing Odinga’s deep understanding of African issues, his interactions with senior Pan-Africanists, and his capability to fulfill the responsibilities of the Chairman’s role.
Uganda’s George Odongo highlighted the importance of creating employment opportunities to empower local populations. Kenyan representative Zipporah Kering and Tanzania’s James Millya voiced their support for President Ruto’s efforts to promote women, particularly in gubernatorial roles in Kenya. These views were also shared by other EALA members from Zanzibar, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Republic of Burundi, including Machano Ali Machano, Francis Ngate, and Victor Burikutie.
The “meet the people” tour by EALA, which started on the 3rd of this month, is set to continue until March 20th, aiming to foster a deeper understanding of the East African Community’s objectives and to strengthen ties among member states.