EALA Swears in Two New Members
EALA yesterday afternoon administered Oaths of allegiance to Hon. Jean Marie Muhirwa from Burundi and Hon Oda Gasinzigwa from Rwanda, filling the hitherto, vacant posts.
The new Members took the Oaths of Allegiance to the EAC Treaty, in accordance with Rule 5 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly in an occasion, administered by the Clerk of EALA, before the EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Daniel F. Kidega.
The Rules of Procedure say in part Rule 5 (4) that: “No Member can sit or participate in the proceedings of the House until the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to the Treaty is taken”.
Rule 5(5) specifically states that “when a Member first attends to take his or her seat other than at the first sitting of a new House, he or she shall be brought to the table by two Members and presented by them to the Speaker who shall then administer the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance”.
Hon Jean Marie Muhirwa, ushered into the House by Hon Emerence Bucumi and Hon Judith Pareno, was elected to replace the late Hon Hafsa Mossi, who was assassinated in unclear circumstances in Bujumbura, on July 13, 2016.
Hon. Jean Marie Muhirwa is a Member of the ruling party, CNDD-FDD since 1994. He is a former Senator and was at one time, Administrator of Bwambarangwe Commune of Kirundo, Northern Province in Burundi. Hon Muhirwa garnered a total of 103 out of the 109 votes cast in the Burundi National Assembly to be elected to the EALA. He has studied and lived in the Republic of Kenya. He also similarly had a stint in the United Republic of Tanzania.
On her part, Hon. Oda Gasinzigwa replaces Hon. Christophe Bazivamo who resigned from his position after being elected as the new EAC Deputy Secretary General, taking the Productive and Social Sectors docket last month.
Hon. Gasinzigwa was ushered into the House by Hon Dora Byamukama, Hon. Tiperu Nusura and Hon Pierre Celestin Rwigema. She was until March this year, Minister of Gender and Family Promotion in the Republic of Rwanda.
Hon. Oda Gasinzigwa has a long career history having participated in various national and regional bodies that were instrumental in advancing women’s rights, reconciliation and peace. From 2005 to 2009 she served on the Rwandan Government’s National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, which coordinates various activities including tolerance and forgiveness programs in communities and schools.
Hon Gasinzigwa once served as the Executive Secretary of Rwanda’s Women Council and was a representative in the National Preparatory Committee for Women’s Forum at the International Conference for Peace, Security and Development in the Great Lakes Region.
In addition, she was a Member of the Committee that implemented the “Beijing Recommendations,” a platform for action to promote women’s advancement stemming from the 1995 UN Conference on women.
Hon. Gasinzigwa is a holder of a Master of Arts in social sciences, with a focus on gender and development.
Both Members shall now serve the Assembly for the balance of the tenure, which ends in June 2017.