EALA MPs suspend Speaker Margaret Zziwa
Nov 26, 2014
The East African Legislative Assembly Members of Parliament have passed a resolution to suspend the Speaker, Margaret Zziwa, for 21 days pending investigations into her conduct.
By Vision Reporter
The East African Legislative Assembly Members of Parliament have passed a resolution to suspend the Speaker, Margaret Zziwa, for 21 days pending investigations into her conduct.
The resolution was arrived at during a special sitting presided over by Chris Opoka-Okumu, a Ugandan, which also saw the committee on legal affairs called upon to handle the investigations.
The section of the assembly that sponsored the motion consisted of 32 of the 44 members, which is more the required two-thirds.
The MPs removed the Speaker after they petitioned the Clerk of the Assembly Kenneth Madete urging him to convene the special meeting.
In April, a Kenyan representative, Peter Mathuki, moved a motion to impeach Zziwa citing misconduct, poor governance, poor leadership skills, abuse of office, disrespect and intimidation of members and staff.
The move, however, failed after Zziwa sent the assembly on recess shortly after the motion was tabled. The courts later ruled in her favour blocking the impeachment.
Last month, the Speaker adjourned the House indefinitely on the last day of business owing to a quorum hitch. The House had been meeting in Kigali for two weeks.
Only two Tanzanian representatives were present at Wednesday’s sitting, while all the other member countries had at least eight representatives present.
Speaking during a media briefing before the regional assembly began its sittings in Nairobi, Speaker Zziwa claimed there was a syndicate by some members to frustrate her.