EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY _____________ IN THE EAST AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (EALA) The Official Report of the Proceedings of the East African Legislative Assembly 150TH SITTING – THIRD ASSEMBLY: SECOND MEETING – FIFTH SESSION Wednesday, 19 October 2016 The East African Legislative Assembly met at 2:30 p.m. in the Chamber of the Zanzibar House of Representatives in Mbweni, Zanzibar. PRAYER (The Speaker, Mr. Daniel .F. Kidega, in the Chair.) (The Assembly was called to order) ___________________________________________________________________________ COMMUNICATION FROM THE CHAIR The Report of the Ninth Inter- Parliamentary Relations Seminar (Nanyuki VISIT BY ZANZIBAR YOUTH COUNCIL IX) on The Theme “Compliance with the African Union and Sub-Regional Blocs The Speaker: Good afternoon, honourable Election Bench Marks; A Case of East Members. I would first like to recognise the African Community” held in Dar-es-Salam presence of our visitors in the gallery. They in the United Republic of Tanzania from 2nd are the representatives of the Zanzibar to 4th March 2016. Youth Council led by Mr Khamis Kerry who is the chairman and they include MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION OF THE Lenny Amor who is a member, Juma ASSMEBLY TO EXTEND ITS Finard, member, Haruna Muhamed CONDOLENCES AND SYMPATHIES TO Member, Fidelis Daniel, member, Khamis THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE EAC Khamis, member. You are most welcome PARTNER STATES AND TO THE TH and thank you for taking care. (Applause) VICTIMS OF THE 10 SEPTEMBER 2016 EARTHQUAKE IN THE KAGERA REGION AND BEYOND. PAPERS MOTION The following Paper was laid on the Table: (by Ms. Patricia Hajabakiga (Rwanda) Ms Shy-Rose Bhanji (Tanzania): Mr Speaker, thank you for the opportunity. Wednesday, 19th October 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates Before I move the motion, I request this AND WHEREAS Article 49(b) of the Treaty House to allow me to make a small for the Establishment of the East African amendment to the heading of this motion – Community vests in the Assembly the (Interruption) - authority to discuss all matters pertaining to the Community and to make The Speaker: hon. Shy-Rose, just to help recommendations to the Council of you…you will do that one but just move it Ministers as it may deem necessary for the then you will amend it when it is already implementation of the Treaty; moved. Moved, seconded, you justify then you will amend. AWARE THAT on the 10th day of September 2016 at around 3 p.m. a 5.7 magnitude Ms Bhanji: Thank you Mr Speaker for earthquake struck Nsonga Kagera region your guidance. I beg to move a motion for on the north western part of lake Victoria s resolution of the Assembly to extend its and the tremors rippled as far as western condolences and sympathies to the Kenya and parts of Uganda; governments of EAC Partner States and the victims of 10th September 2016 earthquake FURTHER AWARE THAT the earthquake in the Kagera region and beyond. shock had a maximum intensity of 7(which is strong) leading to loss of 17 lives, injury I beg to move. of 440 people, and displacement of thousands of people, as well as massive The Speaker: Thank you hon. Shy-Rose. destruction of properties and livelihoods; Seconders - hon. Mariam, hon. Kizigha, hon. Pareno, hon. Dr Odette, hon. Valerie COGNISANT of the fact that the immediate and hon. members standing. Hon. Shy- intervention by the Government of Rose, please move and justify your motion. Tanzania was made through the Prime Minister’s Office, notably the Prime Ms Bhanji: Thank you Mr Speaker. With Minister’s Office in collaboration with the your permission, maybe now I can make Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and EAC amendments or I go ahead? organised a charity walk to raise funds for the affected people, the walk which was The Speaker: In the process, you can make headed by the former president His the correction you wanted to make on the Excellency Mzee Hasssan Mwinyi also motion as you justify. attracted many more sympathies from local and international communities; Ms Bhanji: Thank you, Mr Speaker. FURTHER appreciating the gesture of “WHEREAS, under Article 112 (1) (d) of solidarity and sympathy demonstrated by the Treaty for the Establishment of the East various EAC Partner States, the general African Community, the EAC Partner public, private organisations, the business States undertook to, among other things, community and members of the diplomatic cooperate in the management of the community in the form of financial, moral environment and agreed to take necessary and material support to address the disaster preparedness, management, devastating effects of the earthquake; protection and mitigation measures especially for the control of natural and NOTING THAT the devastating effects of manmade disasters, which include oil this earthquake presents a big financial spills, biohazards, floods, earthquakes, challenge to the government of the United marine accidents, drought and bush fires; Republic of Tanzania and the victims and families thereof; 2 Wednesday, 19th October 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates The Speaker: Hon. Nancy, sorry for the NOW THEREFORE, be it resolved by this interruption. When hon. Shy-Rose read the Assembly that we jointly extend our motion and I gave her a go ahead to give the heartfelt condolences and sympathies to justification, I thought that what she read His Excellency Dr. John Pombe Magufuli, was adequate justification. Now if she feels president of the United Republic of so concerned that she would like to add Tanzania, his government and the people of more arguments to the text she has read, I Tanzania and the families and victims of the beg the House to give her leeway to make 10th September 2016 earthquake. some more submission, then I will come back to you, hon. Nancy. The Assembly urges well-wishers, local, regional and international to continue to Hon. Shy-Rose, please. give support towards the rehabilitation of the affected infrastructure and victims. Ms Bhanji: Thank Mr Speaker. I will try to be very brief. A good will mission comprising members of EALA and the Secretariat be sent to the The recent earthquake that hit Kagera Kagera belt to appraise themselves on the region was one of the strongest and most state of the impact of the earthquake and disastrous in the history of Tanzania. The report to the House.” day and date of Saturday 10 September 2016 became historical in the minds of I beg to move Mr Speaker. (Applause) many people in the aftermath of the earthquake. The Speaker: Thank you hon. Shy-Rose. Hon. Members, the motion before the 17 people lost their lives, 440 people were Assembly is admitted to various hospitals and according to the latest report, 6 people are still in That this Assembly do resolve to hospital. We pray that they get well soon. extend its condolences and sympathies to the governments of Mr Speaker, over 2000 houses and 1,718 the EAC Partner States and the government buildings broke down or fell to victims of 10th September 2016 the ground completely. This was obviously earthquake in the Kagera region and too much calamity for anyone or any beyond. government in one day. The debris of fallen buildings and the fallen rubble were Debate is open. scattered in every corner of every village and town in the areas that were affected. Ms Nancy Abisai (Kenya): Thank you Mr Speaker for giving me this opportunity. To add salt to the injury, academic life came From the onset, I would like to thank the to a complete stop because some of the mover of this motion for actually bringing schools, primary and secondary, whose it to the attention of this House so that the buildings had collapsed had to close House can also pronounce itself on issues because the situation got very bad. of disaster. The earthquake was an East African Students of secondary and primary schools earthquake; it was not just felt in the United had to be reallocated to other schools Republic of Tanzania. Mr Speaker, I come pending the renovation and repairs of the from – (Interruption) - schools that were affected during the earthquake. 3 Wednesday, 19th October 2016 East African Legislative Assembly Debates The on-going inventory of affected areas collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign shows a pervasive loss of many buildings, Affairs and the EAC to raise funds for the including hospitals, churches, mosques, victims. It was a very successful charity health centres, and government buildings. walk, and we want to congratulate the Ministry of EAC for this initiative. We appreciate the effort by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania through The Diplomatic Communities stepped in in the Prime Minister, hon. Majaliwa Kasim full support during the charity walk. We Majaliwa and his office to offer moral, also appreciate and thank Mzee Ali Hassan material and financial support to the Mwinyi because he is always in the affected people. The Government also forefront helping humanitarian causes – offered free medical services to the victims. (Applause). He was also at the forefront during the charity walk. He is 92 years old Mr Speaker, the Kagera Regional Disaster but God has blessed him with good health Committee, under the Kagera Regional and a good heart because he is always Commissioner, initiated a fundraising taking part in this kind of initiatives. strategy in order to raise funds to help the victims and for their rehabilitation. A Mr Speaker, what happened in Kagera can special bank account was opened under also occur anywhere in the world. “Kamati ya Maafa” under account number Therefore, there is a need for unified and 0152225617300, which is still operational, concerted efforts on humanitarian grounds and 5 billion shillings was raised through as this burden is heavy for any country in this account by way of contributions from Africa, given the poverty of our people with various sources.