East African Legislative Assembly; October 4^th, 2019: Arusha, Tanzania: The East African Legislative Assembly once again wants the East African Community Council of Ministers to address the dire financial crisis, the regional bloc is in.  Critical to the matter is the need for all Partner States to duly remit their financial obligations in a timely manner and fashion. Particularly, the Assembly has recommended that the Council of Ministers should consider invoking Article 143 or 146 to impose sanctions against Partner States that default on payment. Particularly, one Partner State, the Republic of South Sudan is been urged to comply by end of October 2019.

As the matter came under scrutiny, the House commended the Republic of Uganda for honouring its contribution for the Financial Year 2019/20 to the tune on 72% as at October 2^nd 2019. EALA urged other Partner States to emulate the Republic of Uganda by complying with regulation 23(5) of EAC Financial Rules and Regulations.  Consequently, EALA also wants the Alternative Financing Mechanism finalized and effected and a reconsideration and removal of the zero budget increase ceilings.

East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, October 3^rd 2019: Despite the significant contribution of the tourism sector in region’s economic growth, provision of employment and poverty reduction, certain overriding challenges that include sector underfunding, insecurity, lack of harmonized policies and laws, among others, need to be speedily addressed, the East African Legislative Assembly has said. A report of the Assembly on the Oversight activity on the Performance of the Tourism Sector in the region, wants the EAC to fastrack the conclusion of the EAC Protocol on Tourism and Wildlife Management, as well as in strengthening a pool of EAC Classification Assessors to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in classification of tourism establishment.

The Assembly is also reiterating creation of a well-coordinated and digitized information exchange hub for the advancement of joint tourist visa mechanism in a bid to attract tourists in the region. Hon Mary Mugyenyi who presented the report to the House further said it was necessary for the Partner States to harmonise their national laws on tourism and related sectors.   The EAC Council of Ministers is further urged to follow up with the Republics of Burundi and South Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania to join the EAC Single Tourist Visa.