Eala gets $660,690 loan, convenes virtually to debate budget
The East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) has resumed its sittings — but this time virtually — to discuss the supplementary budget for the financial year 2024/25 and the draft budget estimates for the 2025/26 fiscal year.
Eala traditionally convenes at the East African Community (EAC) headquarters in Arusha, but has opted for virtual sessions due to financial constraints. This was made possible through a loan of $660,690, sourced from EAC institutions and affiliated agencies.
Both Bills were forwarded to the General Purpose Committee for detailed scrutiny.
Ms Askul tabled two other Bills — the EAC Seed and Plant Varieties Bill, 2025 and the EAC Customs Management (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
These were referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources and the Committee on Communication, Trade and Investment, respectively.
The reconvening of the assembly under such challenging circumstances was hailed as a significant institutional achievement, given the severe financial difficulties facing the bloc.
On April 29, 2025, Eala members agreed to suspend all budgetary deliberations until the Council of Ministers convened and released the necessary funds for the budget's review and approval. This prompted the council to hold an emergency session on May 29, 2025, to address the assembly's resolutions.
In that meeting, the council invoked Rule 10(5a) allowing the assembly to hold virtual sittings, and resolved to borrow $660,690 to support the budget approval process.
Cash crunchThe financial crisis within the EAC is largely blamed on delayed or non-payment of financial contributions by some partner states. Each of the eight-member states is expected to contribute $7 million annually toward the community's operational budget.
As of April 2025, only the founding members, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, had fully met their financial obligations. Rwanda had paid 75 percent, Somalia 50 percent, Burundi 19 percent, DR Congo 14 percent, and South Sudan seven percent.
The EAC's total budget for the financial year 2024/25 stands at $112.98 million, of which $67.79 million (61 percent) is expected from member states and internal revenue, while the remaining $43.94 million is projected to come from development partners.
EACJ president Justice Nestor Kayobera said that budget constraints have severely hampered the court's operations, which are essential for upholding the rule of law and resolving disputes within the bloc.'We have more than 260 pending cases, largely due to the unavailability of judges on a full time basis,' he said. 'They serve under short-term contracts, which have resulted in significant case backlogs. This is a major challenge.'
© Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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