Eala should focus on citizens' role in region's integration

Kenya's representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) at a city hotel on December 8, 2022. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Kenya's Kenya Kwanza and Azimio recently nominated representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) organ of the East African Community (EAC). The Kenya Kwanza coalition fronted five of its members while the Azimio fronted four.

Article 50 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC stipulates that, among other things, "the National Assemblies of Partner States 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 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.''

To this end, as a legislative organ, the Eala (formed under the auspices of Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC) has the cardinal functions of legislation, representation and oversight.

Typically, as an organ charged with a legislative prerogative, it is expected that citizens within the EAC will be directly involved in having a say as to who represents them at regional level. This is on the basis of these citizens exercising their rights of sovereignty through popular participation.

The emphasis on involvement of citizens is not merely an abstraction but has been clearly pointed out in Article 7 (1a) on the treaty for the Establishment of the EAC which points out that the principles governing the practical achievement of the EAC objectives shall take into account a people-centred and market driven co-operation.

Unlike the EAC I (1967-1977) which was more statist in approach, the treaty for the Establishment of the current EAC underscores the centrality of people in the integration process. The EAC integration agenda is by and large, and on paper, neo-functionalist, in the sense that it takes into account regional integration as a process, and not a one-off event. This process is seen through the attainment of the Free Trade Area, Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union and a Political Federation.

The last two stages most importantly have to take into account EAC citizens' positions on the same, especially due to internal political and economic dynamics of Partner States.

There is a lack of awareness amongst citizens in issues related to the EAC integration agenda as was revealed by an AfroBarometer Survey a few years ago. This begs the question whether the representatives have over the years, adequately and effectively discharged their mandate of creating citizen awareness on the integration agenda, which is their responsibility.

The same has spurred varied reactions from various camps on the validity of the know-how possessed by these representatives on the integration agenda. Whether or not this is the case, it is of essence to note that no other link exists ideally that would involve citizens directly in the process aside from the Eala National Assemblies nexus that provides for the assemblies acting on behalf of the citizens to elect representatives to the Eala.