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{
    "id": 734009,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/734009/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 110,
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    "content": "It is interesting that we have a Legislative Assembly that does not operate like we have the European Parliament which has the powers to pass laws that are going to be used in the countries. However, if you look at EALA, they cannot touch or amend a single treaty except to meet and work on issues of representation. I agree with the Senate Minority Leader that this Committee will look into this. Hopefully, we will have cooperation of Members of the National Assembly. I wish this had come up a bit earlier. We wish we had thought about it in 2013 or 2014 so that we slowly walk this journey together as both Houses with an intention of suggesting very drastic measures that should be put in place. One is to make the EALA a full Parliament where during elections the country can provide mechanisms. For example if it was Kenya, every political party provides a list of Members of Parliament who will serve in the Parliament if they get a chance. We will vote for that list. This is so that by the time the election is over in the country, we know that a certain number of Members of Parliament will be serving in that Legislative Assembly. Secondly is to expand the mandate so that we now have men and women who are going to sit in the Assembly, make laws and negotiate legislations with the executive, collectively having ways of sending the message of representation. It would be tragic if we have an East African Parliament where the representation will only focus on narrow interest of the political party or region where one comes from. This is because we want to integrate East Africa. However, we are also operating in an environment where regional integration is under threat."
}