The Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala), Ms Margaret Zziwa, has said she will not yield to pressure from her critics to resign from her job. Addressing the media in Kampala on Friday, Ms Zziwa said she is not holding the post in her interest but that of Uganda which seconded her.
“I will not resign; I was assigned by the people of Uganda, and I am carrying my country’s flag with me on behalf of them,” Ms Zziwa charged.
“I am not a speaker because I am Margaret Zziwa but a person representing Uganda in the process of integration. This is Uganda’s chance to shine,” she added.
Ms Zziwa, who has survived several impeachment attempts by a section of Eala legislators who want her out of the post, said the past eight months have been unsettling in the assembly but insisted that has not tainted its overall performance.
“This is the first assembly to come up with a strategic plan for Eala and we have had a number of bills passed including the customs bill,” Ms Zziwa said.
She said she is currently looking at ways of resolving the grievances of individual members that at one time threatened to cause an impasse at the regional parliament.
“I have proposed that we have a committee of eminent people to see the cause of this disgruntlement.”
The Eala speaker said the forthcoming session due in Nairobi will not be affected by the current squabbles and will take place as scheduled.
“The next session will take place in Nairobi and all the members have been invited plus all the necessary logistics provided. We are duty bound under Article 49 of the treaty to attend,” she said of the session that starts on November 16.
Right from her election, Ms Zziwa has had a tumultuous reign.
Several attempts to impeach her have failed on technical grounds or been challenged in the East African Court of Justice. She ascended to the post after a fierce contest with Ms Dorah Byamukama, who had been widely reported to be the official Uganda government candidate for the post. She got 33 votes to beat Ms Byamukama who had 12.
The Daily Monitor
UM– USEKE.RW
