Uganda Government News: Regional environmental bill passed by EAC Parliament

Ultimate Media

The East Africa Legislative Assembly has passed the East African Community Transboundary Ecosystems Bill 2010. 

The Bill which sailed through the 3rd Reading late this afternoon, now moves an inch closer to been law of the East Africa Community.    

The Bill whose debate was suspended last year received overwhelming support when it came up for debate on the floor of the House sitting in Uganda’s capital Kampala. 

The Council of Ministers had in September 2011 during the 1st Meeting of the 5th Session held in Kigali, Rwanda, requested for more time to consult.  The adjournment was further stayed in November 2011 during the subsequent 2nd Meeting of the 5th Session held in Bujumbura, Burundi.   

Key among the concerns of the Council of Ministers was the need to clarify the mandate of the envisaged Commission for the management of transboundary ecosystems vis a vis existing institutions. At the same time, the Council of Ministers felt there was an imminent conflict on matters of land given the fact that such matters remain a preserve of the Partner States as stated in the Common Market Protocol.

The object of the Bill originally moved by Hon. Dr. George Francis Nangale is to provide for a legal framework to effectively streamline the management of trans-boundary eco-systems with a view to enhancing the quality of the environment and also ensure sustainable utilization of shared natural resources in the EAC. 

The bill now passed seeks to provide for the management and regulation of transboundary ecosystems to establish a Commission managing ecosystems in the region and other related matters.

In his contribution today, Hon Gervase Akhaabi noted that the passage of the Bill would protect the livelihoods and manage the resources while Hon Christopher Nakuleu termed the Bill timely for the region if the EAC was to protect its natural resources.
 
Hon Dr. Aman Kabourou however stated the law would contradict national policies.  “ While I am not against protecting our shared eco-systems including Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa basin, we have to be careful so as not to contradict existing policies and laws in the respective Partner States”, Hon Kabourou remarked.