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{
    "id": 1272499,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1272499/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 296,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Kipipiri, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Wanjiku Muhia",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Temporary Speaker, I beg to move the following Motion: THAT, this House adopts the Report of the Select Committee on Regional Integration on its visit to Semi-Autonomous Institutions of the East African Community in Arusha, Tanzania from 2nd to 8th April 2023, laid on the Table of this House on Tuesday, 6th June 2023. The Committee on Regional Integration is a Select Committee established under Standing Order 212. Its main mandate, in summary, is to examine the records of all the relevant debates and resolutions of the meetings of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). It also examines the Bills introduced in EALA and the Acts of East African Community (EAC). The Committee of Regional Integration also examines the records of all relevant debates, resolutions, and the meetings of the Pan African Parliament (PAP), the African Caribbean and the Pacific European Union (ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) and other regional bodies hand-in-hand with inquiring into and examining any other matters relating to regional integration generally requiring action by the House. I did not need to read the mandate of this Committee. I, however, feel that one of our key jobs on the table now is to sensitise the citizens of East Africa and Kenya. The citizens of Kenya are represented by the Members of Parliament of this House and the Senate. I feel the need to keep on informing the Members. Recently, we had an issue with the Members who sit in the Pan African Parliament when they wanted to present their report. We read to them that we were supposed to examine this record so that we inform the House well. The purpose of this inspection was first to familiarise members with the institutions within East Africa, so that as we continue with the journey in the next five years, and now four, they get to understand which institutions are established in East Africa. We also meant to make Members appreciate the operations of the organs that provide services and facilitate EAC integration. Also, to establish a basis of awareness creation in the East African region, and the role of Parliament in the regional integration process. We intended to get feedback and recommendation from the EAC institutions, organs and areas of policy support and any advocacy. This will continue to create awareness because sensitisation is everything. People cannot deal with matters which they do not understand. It was important for our Members to be aware. I want to relate it with today’s event in State House. This morning, I broke protocol, and I am sure Hon. Felix Kosgei wondered. I denied him eye contact so that he would not rule me out of order in the presence of the President. I carried this with me. I would not give it to the Leader of the Majority Party because he was missing in the event. The Kenya Kwanza Government is not aware of what entails the East African Region. It is not even aware of the East Africa’s mandate as a Ministry. Today, the Minister in charge of East African Community signed the contract of Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs), leaving out the one of regional integration. The Ministry of East African Community was established some time back when the Summit sat down and found that matters of regional integration were getting lost in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They sat as the highest organ in East Africa and resolved that each country shall have a Ministry of EAC, whose core mandate is regional integration matters. Recently in the Kenya Kwanza Government, our President added the mandate of ASALs to this Ministry. This is an additional mandate which is different from the mandate the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}