East Africa Legislative Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania - Photo credit - EALA website

The East Africa Legislative Assembly has endorsed for a suspension of an on-going job recruitment exercise by the Secretariat.

It describes the contemporary process as unfair to some member states including South Sudan.

The regional legislature issued the resolution to the block’s council of ministers during its 19^th plenary meeting yesterday in Arusha, Tanzania.

According to the 1999 East Africa Treaty, each member state is entitled to have its citizens employed in the secretariat as part of the regional integration.

But some of the lawmakers claim that the EAC Secretariat is entirely dominated by Kenyans and Tanzanians.

They accuse the body of irregularities and unfair treatment of citizens from Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.

Denis Narama who represents Uganda at the EALA raised a motion on the matter.

“The current recruitment exercise has been characterized by disproportionate profiling, shortlisting of candidates from some partner states, short-listing of some candidates without the required qualification and experience, collusion at interviews and pushing national interest against the interest of the community,” Namara Denis said.

“Article 4/6 of the operational manual of the implementation of the quota system provides that partner states must have points for its citizens to be considered eligible candidates.  The quota system was not followed. If it was followed it was done in a way that eliminated some partner states.”

The motion which was unanimously passed is expected to be deliberated in a session today.

In his remarks, Martin Ngoga, the Assembly’s Speaker says the council will look into the matter and develop relevant mechanisms to satisfy all the member states.

“I can confirm to you that it has been a commitment and discussion with the council members and they are willing to deal with issues here in the best interest of the community and the satisfaction of every member of the community,” Martin Ngoga said.

Uganda’s Minister of East African Affairs, Rebecca Kadaga also stated that the EAC Council of Ministers is fully aware of the matter.

“I want to confirm that the council of ministers is fully seized of this matter now. It is our responsibility to undertake the matter expeditiously in the best interest of the community and comply with the treaty,” Rebecca Kadaga lamented.

An MP representing South Sudan has welcomed the steps taken by the legislature

Kim Gai however, threatened to sue the council to court if the misrepresentation concern is not addressed.

“If the council of ministers is not going to recommend affirmative action for the people of South Sudan, we are going to boycott the sitting and the parliament will not have a quorum,” Kim Gai told Eye Radio by phone from Arusha.

The East African Community is an intergovernmental organization composed of six countries in the African Great Lakes region in eastern Africa including Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan.

South Sudan became the sixth member of the East African Community block after President Salva Kiir signed an accession treaty in Tanzania’s commercial capital, Dar es Salaam in 2016.