EALA MPs Push for political federation and gender equality

EALA MPs Push for political federation and gender equality


Ugandan members of the East African Legislative Assembly have promised to introduce new laws to benefit Uganda and other East African Community Countries.

The Members who included; Honourables, Nusurah Tiperu, Bernard Mulengani, Dora Byamukama, Susan Nakawuki and Chris Okumu on Tuesday 1st November 2016 met with the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga and later addressed the media on the pending business of the EALA.

Tiperu said that they are pushing for the EAC Gender Equality Bill, the whistleblowers Bill and the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Bill. “Madam Speaker, we heard you urging for the elimination of FGM and we want to support this by pushing for that Bill,” she said.

She added that there was need to have the Whistleblowers Bill which was moved by Hon. Margaret Zziwa. “This would help combat the never ending vice of corruption by protecting those who intend to whistle blow,” Tiperu said.

Hon. Byamukama further said that the EALA on Tuesday 18th October, 2016, passed a law titled the EAC Anti-Trafficking in Persons Bill that she had moved.

“The Bill intends to provide for the prevention of trafficking in persons, prosecution of perpetrators of trafficking in persons, provision of protection mechanisms and services for victims of trafficking in persons and development of partnerships for co-operation to counter trafficking in persons in the Community.  It follows public outcry on trafficking of young Ugandan girls to the United Arab Emirates where they are being sexually abused,” Byamukama said.

In addition, Hon. Nakawuki said that East African Community (EAC) is in agreement of political federation. “There is a plan to form a constitution that is universally applicable to all member states after consulting with the public to further enhance regional unity,” Nakawuki said.

In response, Rt. Hon. Kadaga advised the MPs to consult more on a number of laws from other countries within Africa as they go about enforcing the three Bills.

“Namibia has a good law on gender equality passed in 1990 called the Equality Act which can be used for reference,” Kadaga said.

Kadaga also advised EALA committees to interface between the local Parliamentary Committees of the Member states.

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