By Reuben Olita

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Thursday held talks with the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) Margaret Zziwa who paid him a courtesy call.

During the talks, Kibaki reiterated his earlier call to the Assembly to work more closely with National Assemblies and other relevant institutions in member states to remove fears of loss of sovereignty among other impediments to the region’s integration.

The president, in an official statement from state house, noted that significant progress has been made by the East Africans in regional integration in the last decade through the different organs of the East African Community.

On remuneration of the EALA legislators, the Head of State said the improvement of their terms and conditions of service will be included in the agenda and discussed at the next EAC Heads of State Summit.

With regard to EALA (K) Chapter, the president said the necessary legal and administrative frameworks are being developed through an inter-ministerial taskforce to improve on their welfare.

President Kibaki directed the ministries of Finance and the East African Community to act on the recommendations of the taskforce.

The Kenyan EALA legislators have been engaging the Government to seek extra financial facilitation to meet their needs while participating in official in-country activities among other grievances.

He assured the Speaker that the Kenya Government will continue making its statutory contributions to the EAC institutions including EALA.

Zziwa, on her part, assured President Kibaki that EALA will not relent in its ongoing efforts to ensure the EAC integration process is expedited by removing all obstacles.

The talks were attended by East African Community Minister Musa Sirma, National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende and the acting head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet Mr. Francis Kimemia.