East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Speaker, Martin Ngoga during a seating in January, 2021/ Photo credit EALA - January, 2021

The East African Legislative Assembly yesterday, reconsidered and approved the EAC Budget Estimates for the Financial Year 2020/21, amounting to USD 97,669,708.

The EAC Assembly held a special sitting virtually this week Wednesday.

The House further enacted the recommitted EAC Appropriations Bill, 2020.

Under the 2020/21 vote, the EAC Secretariat is to receive USD 48,564,401, while the East African Legislative Assembly gets USD 16,755,725.

The East African Court of Justice is expected to benefit from the kitty, earning USD 3,970,406, while USD 8,380,057 is earmarked for the Lake Victoria Basin Commission.

The Assembly further approved USD 1,536,751 for the activities of the East African Science and Technology Commission and USD 1,399,318 for the activities of the East African Kiswahili Commission.

On its part, the East African Health Research Commission is to benefit from USD 1.8 million, East African Competition Authority USD 1,879,600, the Inter-University Council for East Africa USD 10,977,276, and Lake Victoria Fisheries Organization USD 3,077,934.

Of the total approved budget, the Assembly reallocated USD 518,050 to other activities considered pertinent to the integration agenda.

The subsequent passage of the EAC Budget now puts to an end the prolonged process which commenced in September 2020.

In September 2020, EALA enacted the EAC Appropriation Bill, 2020, appropriating a total sum of USD 104,063,020, for the Organs and Institutions of the EAC.

The EAC Partner States however raised reservations on the variation of the budget estimates, necessitating the return of the said piece of legislation to the House.

The House adjourned in December 2020, before reconsideration of the EAC Appropriation Bill 2020.