Gerald Siranda, the Democratic Party candidate being congratulated by the party's outgoing EALA member, Dennis Mukasa Mbidde and others after his nomination.
28
candidates have been nominated to compete for Uganda’s nine slots at the East
African Legislative Assembly (EALA). The second and last day of nominations recorded
18 independent candidates.
The others nominated by Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige include six
candidates from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party while
Opposition Political Parties including Democratic Party, Justice Forum (JEEMA),
Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), and Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) fielded
one candidate each.
Each candidate was required to pay 3 million Shillings prior to nomination,
provide an intent letter, provide necessary qualifications for joining
Parliament and get an endorsement from a minimum of 20 Members of Parliament,
among others. Candidates fronted by political parties were required to provide
an introductory letter from the party's Secretary General.
Those nominated on the second day included the six incumbent NRM candidates. These
are Mary Mugyenyi, Rose Akol, Stephen George Odongo, Denis Namara, James
Kakooza, and Paul Musamali Mwasa.
Others nominated were Gerald Siranda from the Democratic Party, Uganda People's
Congress (UPC) Fred Ebil, and Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC), Harold Kaija.
“We have learnt the dynamics of the region and now understand the politics
because we have been there. We are going to build on what we have achieved so
far in the 4th Assembly,” said Mugyenyi.
Paul Musamali, also an incumbent NRM candidate said that in the current
Assembly, they have passed laws to facilitate the integration of the East
African Community (EAC) in terms of trade, movement of people, and investment.
He however said that there are still challenges with the implementation of the
laws and that once he is elected for a second term, he is working on the
sensitization of people and also popularizing the integration agenda.
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Siranda said that he brings a comprehensive experience in dialogue, engagement,
and positioning Uganda within the seven countries that currently form the EAC.
He said that he seeks to narrow the gap between EALA and the National
Assemblies.
According to Siranda, there is a need for EALA MPs to become
ex-officio MPs in national parliaments so that they easily account to the people.
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Kaija pledged to ensure that no trade barriers exist in the region.
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Ebil said that he brings a wealth of knowledge regarding borders and trade and has been a delegate at the 2015 East African Heads of Government Summit, in
Nairobi.
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Independent candidate Moses Ategeka said that once elected, he will put issues
of the underprivileged and special interest groups at the forefront.
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Mwesige, said that the nomination documents will be verified by a committee and
thereafter, the names of the successful candidates will be gazetted. These will
then be invited for open campaigning before Members of the 11th Parliament who
form the electorate. The polling day is scheduled for Thursday, September 29,
2022.
According to the EALA road map, by September, Parliament should have selected
and gazetted Uganda's representatives to the Arusha-based Assembly.
EALA is an organ of the East African Community -EAC established under Article 9
of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community. The Assembly
has a Membership comprising nine members elected by each Partner State;
ex-officio members consisting of the Minister or Assistant Minister responsible
for the East African Community Affairs from each Partner State; the
Secretary-General and the Counsel to the Community.
Currently, the Assembly has 54 elected Members; and 8 ex-officio Members. Each
of the East African Community member countries has to send nine legislators to
the Arusha-based Assembly. The term of the current EALA members ends this year
and elections are scheduled for December.
Elected representatives to EALA from the 7 Member States of Kenya, Rwanda,
Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo –
DRC serve a five-year tenure. The current 4th Assembly has 62 members, whose
term commenced in 2017.
According to Article 50 of the East African Community Treaty, members are
elected by their respective country's national legislature. Article 50 also
requires the said members to reflect their country's political parties, opinions,
gender composition, and other special groups.