Parliament has commenced the Process of selecting Kenya’s next representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
The Joint Committee on the Selection of Members to the EALA held its first meeting Wednesday morning and interested persons will now await notification by the Clerks of the Senate and the National Assembly on the nomination dates and the rules governing the election.
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Candidates will be expected to liaise with their preferred political parties for nomination, while those interested in vying as independent candidates may submit their applications to either Clerks.
The Joint Committee is co-chaired by Immediate former EALA MP and the current MP for Kipipiri Wanjiku Muhia and Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo.
The EALA treaty requires that Member States elect nine members to the Assembly with the election being held within ninety (90) days before the expiry of the date of the outgoing Assembly.
A person shall be deemed qualified to be elected a Member of the Assembly if the person is a citizen of that Partner State, is qualified to be elected a member of the National Assembly of that Partner State under its Constitution, is not holding office as a Minister in that Partner State, is not an officer in the service of the Community and has proven experience or interest in consolidating and furthering the aims and objectives of the Community.
“Article 50 of the Treaty provides that the National Assembly of each Partner State shall elect, not from among its Members, nine members of the Assembly, who shall represent as much as it is feasible, the various political parties represented in the National assembly, shades of opinion, gender and other special interest groups in that Partner State, in accordance with such procedure as the National Assembly of each Partner State may determine,”
In Kenya’s case however, the election of these representatives is carried out by the bicameral Parliament.
The nine Legislators are expected to report to Arusha, the seat of the regional legislature by 20th December, when the life of the current EALA comes to an end.
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