EALA in attendance at the 140th IPU Assembly in Doha…as Hon Dr Oburu Oginga addresses the gathering

Posted in Press Release

East African Legislative Assembly, Doha, Qatar: 8^th April, 2019: The 140^th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly commenced in Qatar, this week (April 6-10, 2019) with over 1000 MPs from 160 Parliaments globally, in attendance to deliberate on issues under the umbrella theme of “Parliaments as platforms to enhance education for peace, security and the rule of law”

EALA Speaker, Rt Hon Ngoga Karoli Martin, is represented by EALA Member and Commissioner, Hon Dr Oburu Oginga. Hon Dr Oginga addressed the congregation this morning (April 8^h, 2019) urging parliamentarians to enact legislation and provide oversight on policies on the education sector that build and enhance sustainable peace. Hon Dr Oginga termed access to education, resources, respect for diversity and identity as well as equal and equitable participation in decision making at all levels as critical. He further called for measures to address the historical and contemporary injustices.

The EALA Member said Parliaments need to be more impactful in their approaches to addressing peace and ensuring rule of law. Hon Dr Oginga told legislators to advocate for targeted education and initiatives that abhor violence, enhance peace-building tools and support human security around the globe for positive societal impact. 

Hon Dr Oginga said EALA had continued to play a critical part in so far as peace and security is concerned. “The Assembly has passed the EAC Human and Peoples’ Rights Bill, 2012 and about 12 Resolutions on the subject matter. The Assembly further works with the EAC Secretariat and other institutions in promoting research, building pertinent partnerships and peace initiatives as measures to curtail forms of insecurity and thus promote peaceful co-existence of communities”, he said. The Member called for full implementation of the Peace and Security Protocol including the setting up of an EAC Security Council and an EAC Stand-by-Brigade as well as the institutionalization of the Panel of the Wise and other related institutions.

He further called for effective oversight on the projects of the agencies that ensure cohesiveness and concerted efforts towards ensuring humanity issues are addressed.

The 140^th Assembly is covering multiple subjects including role of fair and free trade and investments in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) especially that which regard economic equality, sustainable agriculture, industrialization and innovation.   A number of emergency items are further expected to be tabled during the week-long event as is provided for under Assembly Rule 11.1 and Article 14.2 of the IPU Statutes. The items proposed include a call for urgent international action to support Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, hit by the cyclone Idai and another on preventing and combating racism, intolerance, islamophobia and xenophobia.

Other EALA Members in attendance are, Hon Dr Francois Kalinda, Hon Rose Akol, Hon Dr Gabriel Garang Alaak, Hon Pamela Masaay and senior EALA Parliamentary staff.

The 140^th IPU edition has also attracted over 50 Speakers of Parliament and 40 Deputy Speakers. Of the MPs in attendance, 20 per cent are young MPs under 45 years of age and 33 per cent are women.

Other EAC Speakers and Parliamentarians are also in attendance.  The Republic of Kenya is led by the Speaker of the Senate, Rt Hon Kenneth Lusaka. Rt Hon Nyabenda Pascal, Speaker of the Burundi National Assembly leads his delegation as Rt Hon Job Ndugai, Speaker of Parliament of Tanzania leads legislators from the Parliament of Tanzania. Delegations from the Parliament of Uganda, Parliament of Rwanda and the Transitional National Legislative Assembly of the Republic of South Sudan are also in attendance. 

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For more information, please contact:

Bobi Odiko
Senior Public Relations Officer
East African Legislative Assembly
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255-27-2508240
Fax: +255-27-2503103
Cell: +255-787-870945, +254-733-718036
Email: BOdiko [at] eachq.org
Web: www.eala.org

About the East African Legislative Assembly:

The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is the Legislative Organ of the Community and has a cardinal function to further EAC objectives, through its Legislative, Representative and Oversight mandate. It was established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.

EAC Commemorates 25 Years of the Genocide against the Tutsi

Posted in Press Release

1. The Commemoration event took place at the EAC headquarters on 7th April, 2019 and was attended by 400 people largely students from nearby secondary schools and universities, Staff from EAC and United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (UN IRMCT) members of Rwanda Community in Arusha- Moshi and friends of Rwanda;
   
   
2. The Commemoration event was preceded by a Walk to remember and laying of wreaths on the Commemoration monument at the EAC gardens.
   
   
3. The Longido District Commissioner, Mr. Frank Mwesumbe who represented the government of United Republic of Tanzanian stressed that it is the duty of everyone in the world in our various capacities, to spare no efforts in fighting against genocide ideology in all ways of its manifestation. He emphasized the importance of actively involving the youth in all affairs as they constitute a big population and equipping them with necessary skills needed to develop their countries but also educating them about the dangers of harboring such ill motives and backward destructive ideologies like genocide ideology, revisionism and divisionism.
   
   
4. The main discussant Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde, member of East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) from Uganda presented about the role of politicians in curbing genocide ideology and ensuring peaceful co-existence in which he highlighted the misdeeds of the genocide government and commended the current government of Rwanda led by H.E Paul Kagame for the many economic miracles, recovery and harmonious living amongst Rwandans. He said that as EAC commemorate the genocide against the Tutsi the region should be happy for what Rwanda has achieved so far especially for turning around the country where its mention in any international sphere is equated to growth, peace, development and visionary leadership. He emphasized that solving genocide is also equal to solving state of affairs by putting everything to do with politics of exclusion and ethno classes out of our political equation. Thus, Rwanda should take credit for what they have achieved in their response to genocide. He further strongly called on EAC Partner States to support Rwanda’s bid to restoring Peace and stability by prosecuting or extraditing a huge number of genocide perpetrators reported to be hiding in the EAC region. He emphasized that in the EAC oneness, EAC Partner States should be happy of what their neighbor nations in the region are doing rather than masterminding wars and creating unnecessary insecurity blunders in an effort to destabilize the other nations and thus fomenting genocidal conducive environment. He concluded by strongly recommending that EAC Partner States should swallow their pride and agree to establish a protective wall against anything that might lead to genocide happening again anywhere in the EAC region.
   
   
5. On his part, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo who represented the EAC Secretary General reminded the audience that it was at this time of the year in 1994 that the world witnessed the beginning of one of the most horrible atrocities in the Human history. He said that in only 100 days over a million of innocent men and women lost their lives as the world watched in total inactivity. Yet, we all know that we are all created equal and have the right to life and that no one has a right to take another person's life. He however added that though Rwanda has made tremendous strides to rebuild the societal fabric and create pragmatic pace for healing where the impossible became possible and the unexpected became reality, Rwanda has yet fully recovered from this barbaric act. He reminded the audience that the commemoration by EAC Secretariat call for the region to keep on supporting Rwanda on its path to total healing and also at the same time care about genocide and fight against its ideology because what happened in Rwanda in 1994 and its consequences can happen anyway in the EAC Community if people do not stand and vehemently own the fight against it together as one people working for one destiny. He recalled the chronology followed by EAC to directly own the commemoration processes at regional level. EAC recognized the genocide as a crime against humanity and erected a monument in the EAC gardens and set April 7th every year in the calendar as a special day for commemoration of the genocide against the Tutsi. Currently, EAC is considering possibilities for setting the day as an EAC day for commemoration and setting aside a budget in the EAC annual budgets.
   
   
6. Ms. Tembile who represented UN IRMCT recalled the importance of commemoration to reaffirm the commitment to stop and prevent genocide. She said that the International community salute and recognize the courage of those who stopped the genocide and provided immediate support to genocide survivors. She further noted that the International Community’s direct contribution came in form of setting up an Intentional Criminal Tribunal Court for Rwanda to bring the genocide perpetrators to book and thus promote rule of law. In addition, the International Community also in unison declared the Genocide against the Tutsi as a crime against humanity and set the 7th April every year as an International Remembrance Day. She however reminded people that out of 300 genocide perpetrators identified in the EAC region and 805 in Africa, only 100 were apprehended and brought to book and faced justice. She ended her remaks by emphasizing on the pending files of three major genocide perpetrators that the Mechanism is looking forward to deal with any time when the fugitives are arrested.
   
   
7. Eng. Daniel Murenzi, the Diaspora Chairman called on members of the Rwandese community in Diaspora to embrace Ndumunyarwanda program as a unifying factor for all Rwandans across the globe, and harness the fight against genocide ideology.
   
   
8. Eng. John Kizito, who represented the Rwanda High Commissioner in Tanzania, recounted how Rwanda government has restored the broken Society fabric in the last 25 years through unity and reconciliation and the invisible hand of the international community in the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and called them all to stand against genocide ideology by responding to indictments, enacting and enforcing laws that fight impunity, Genocide revisionism and denial. He emphasized that this can be possible if done through Young people who constitute a very big force to reckon with in every life aspects.

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   For more information, please contact:

   Mr Owora Richard Othieno
   Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
   EAC Secretariat
   Arusha, Tanzania
   Tel: +255 784 835021
   Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org

   About the East African Community Secretariat:

   The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. 

   The EAC Secretariat is ISO 9001:2008 Certified