AfricaPress-Tanzania: SOMBETINI Ward Councillor Ally Bananga has petitioned the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) to declare the just ended fourth meeting of the East African Legislative Assembly’s (EALA) third meeting null and void.
Through Reference number 12 of 2 0 2 0 filed at the Court’s First Instance Division last week, the Chadema cadre wants the court to nullify the assembly’s session and committee meetings for lacking prerequisite rules of allowing virtual hearings in the wake of Covid-19.
The virtual meeting commenced on April 27 and ended on F riday. Mr Bananga argues in his application which he also filed against the EAC Secretary General Ambassador Libérat Mfumukeko, that the decision to hold the meeting through video contravened the EALA Rules and Procedures, particularly Rule number 1, 10(5 ), 2 6 (1) and Rule 8 5 .
It was the applicant’s submission that it was inappropriate for the Speaker, EALA members and ex officios to be in different locations across the six partner states when the committee meetings and other sessions were underway.
He further submitted that the disputed virtual meetings contravened the practical aspect of EALA Rules of Procedures by not having the usual Speaker’s Procession and the Mace in the House.
Through the Application, Mr Bananga held that the disputed virtual meetings weren’t in the assembly’s precincts which include the debating chambers of the assembly, the national assemblies of the six partner states, the galleries and officers of the assembly.
“For the virtual meetings to have taken place, the assembly ought to have amended its rules and procedure to serve the purpose as provided under Rule 26 (1) of the EALA Rules and Procedure,” he argued.
According to Articles 5 5 (1) and 2 of the Treaty of Establishing the East African Community(EAC),EALA meetings shall be held as such times and places as the assembly may appoint.
The Treaty further stipulates that the Assembly shall meet at least once in every year at the community’s headq uarters in Arusha, at a time to be determined by the Assembly itself
