{UAH} Tanzania's EALA members boycott sessions

Tanzania's EALA members boycott sessions

BY LUSEKELO PHILEMON

29th August 2013

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Tanzanian EALA members, Abdulah Mwinyi (left) and Shyrose Bhanji (Right)

Members of East African Legislative Assembly yesterday also walked out of the EALA chamber, protesting against the behavior done by their counterparts from Rwanda and Uganda on Tuesday evening.

Some Tanzanian EALA members described the move by fellow members as undemocratic as they did so without following rules and regulations governing EALA proceedings.

On Tuesday, evening EALA members from Rwanda and Uganda walked out of the debating chamber protesting what they called the current trend of EALA sessions being held only in Arusha, rather than being held on rotational basis, from one Partner State to another.

At first, the motion was raised by Kenyan EALA member Peter Mathuki, who was supported by members from Rwanda, Uganda, who took the decision to walk out of the august house.

Yesterday, one of the Tanzanian EALA member, Abdula Mwinyi stood up soon after assembly's session had started and raised the motion saying what was done by their fellow members was unbecoming. And it wasn't part of chambers' norms and it meant disrespect to the chair of the Speaker and the entire house. 

"It is very sad for what happened yesterday (Tuesday), it was out of our norms and principles. It meant dehumanization of the chair of the speaker and mudsling the image of this important house, we need to put in place principles and order so that the chair of the speaker is respected," Mwinyi said.

After Mwinyi's motion Tanzanian EALA members walked out the chamber, the situation that forced Speaker, Dr Margaret Zziwa to suspend the session until today (Thursday).
Speaking out of the oval chamber, EALA member, Shyrose Bhanji said the move taken by Rwandan and Ugandan members was undemocratic and it hadn't happened anywhere in the world.

"We are out of the chamber, because we want to show our colleagues that what they did is not acceptable," she said.

Abdula Mwinyi for his part described the situation as "intolerable" and "un well-coming", if they wanted to do so they would have presented the matter before the Speaker's table.

"Our standing orders are there. They were supposed to go through those orders to accomplish their missions, rather than boycotting the sessions." 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

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