Gitega has now fronted Joseph Ntakarutimana the Deputy Secretary General of Burundi’s ruling party CNDD-FDD for the position of speakership that is slated for this Tuesday December 20th.
While addressing the press in Arusha, Mr. Ntakarutimana said that his objective will be to make sure the interests of East Africans is at the fore front.
“I will make sure that East African Community is felt like one home we will work together with law makers to make sure that the interest of East Africans is well served,” said Joseph Ntakarutimana.
Mr. Ntakarutimana is expected to compete with two female candidates from South Sudan Ann Itto and Gai Deng, South Sudan formerly had four candidates Gideon Gatpan and Kennedy Mukulia who later pulled out of the race citing that their capital had fronted different candidate.
In 2017, Burundi and Rwanda competed for the speakership of the regional assembly that culminated with the outgoing speaker Martin Ngoga winning the secret ballot elections against Burundi’s Leontine Nzeyimana.
Both Burundi and Rwanda entered the EAC at the same time, Burundi filed a case at the East African Court of Justice but the court ruled in favor of Rwanda’s Martin Ngoga whose term ended on December, 17th, 2022.
With the treaty for the establishment of the EAC silent on the format the speakership can be taken over by member states, Article 53(1) of the treaty indicates that, “the Speaker of the Assembly shall be elected on rotational basis by the elected members of the Assembly from among themselves to serve for a period of five years.” The treaty does not specify the order of which member states will be elected.
Joseph Ntakarutimana served as a law maker at the Burundi parliament for 30 years, he was an ambassador to Burundi at the United Nations and current deputy Secretary General of the ruling party CNDD-FDD.
Nine members from the DRC registered at the East African Legislative Assembly (Arusha) this Sunday, this will be the first time DRC sends in representatives since the country joined the community in late March this year.
EALA will now have 63 law makers from the initial 54 after DRC joining the community, the regional law makers serve for a term of five years renewable once.