MP confident EALA will pass gender, plastic bags Bills
East African Legislative Assembly Kenya chapter chairperson Nancy Abisai speaking during the regional assembly sensitisation forum at St Stephen ACK Hall in Marsabit County on January 9, 2016. PHOTO | KEN BETT | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- EALA Kenya chapter chairperson Nancy Abisai said the Bills will get their second and third readings.
- The EALA comprises representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
An East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) lawmaker is confident two Bills on gender and plastic bags will be passed when they resume sittings in Kampala, Uganda.
The proposed laws are the 2016 EAC Gender Equality and Development Bill and the 2016 EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill.
The gender Bill seeks to ensure gender equality, protection and development in the community.
The plastic bags Bill aims to provide a legal framework for preserving a clean and healthy environment by prohibiting the manufacturing, sale, importation and use of polythene materials.
EALA Kenya chapter chairperson Nancy Abisai said the Bills will get their second and third readings.
“We hope to pass the gender Bill when it comes to the floor of the House. It has gone through public participation and so it has already followed the due process,’’ she said on the sidelines of the legislators' sensitisation meeting at St Stephen ACK Hall in Marsabit County on Monday.
The EALA is set to hold its session in Kampala later this month.
Article 121 of the treaty that established the Eat African Community recognises the significant contribution that women make towards socio-economic transformation and sustainable growth and the importance of full participation of women and men in the economic and social development of partner states.
JOB LOSS FEARS
She said the Bill seeks other aspects apart from representation such as health.
“People think the Bill is just about representation. It’s not. It has a lot more [and] that is why it is called EAC Gender Equality and Development Bill," she said.
The Bill was introduced during a sitting held in August 2016 in Arusha, Tanzania.
Kenya and Uganda have opposed the enactment of the Polythene Materials Control Bill not only on the the grounds that plastic bags are widely used for packaging but also because they fear the ban would lead to massive losses of jobs and investment running into billions of dollars.
“We said we need to be given a time frame to help companies to reduce the percentage of plastic bags. We don’t want to affect employment within the industry. We hope when it comes up all the proposals that we have brought will be listened to," she said.
The EALA comprises representatives from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
