East African Business Week

ARUSHA, TANZANIA - The Chairperson of the Council of Ministers and Burundi Minister for East African Community Affairs, Ms  Hafsa Mossi, is expected to present the budgetary estimates amounting to $95,967,160 for the financial year 2011/12 to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) this week.
The budgetary estimates to be presented on Thursday will be debated by the Assembly six days later, according to a statement issued by the assembly spokesman Bobi Odiko last week.
The new estimates are 24% above the approved budget for the financial year 2010/2011 which amounted to $77,664,143.
Owora said the budget speech is among the items to be presented during the assembly's fifth meeting of the fourth session of the second assembly that is to be held in Arusha.  
The Assembly to be presided by the Speaker,  Abdirahin Abdi, shall during the two-week
 period discuss crucial legislative business and share experiences with the representatives of various sectors and publics, as envisaged under Article 49 of the Treaty for the establishment of the East African Community.
He said the fifth meeting expects to debate on the EAC Elections Bill for the second and third reading, the Inter University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) Amendment Bill that will also be for the second and third reading.
Others include the EAC Service Commission Bill, the EAC Appropriation Bill 2011 and the EAC Supplementary Appropriation Bill 2011.
Owora said the assembly members will also debate  the State of the EAC Address that was delivered by the Chairperson of the East African Community, President Pierre Nkurunziza on April 4, 2011 in Kigali, Rwanda during the fourth meeting of the fourth Session.
 "In the State of the EAC Address, President Nkurunziza noted the need for the region to direct greater attention and energy at getting the strategic drivers of integration right and on track so as to maintain the momentum gathered and move the Community forward," Owora said.
He said President Nkurunziza enumerated the main strategic drivers the region needed as enhancement of trade, the free-flow of trade, pursuit of regional infrastructure and quality assurance of education systems.