The leadership of the East African Community Speakers Bureau has officially moved from Kenya to Somalia, signaling a new chapter in regional parliamentary cooperation.
The announcement came on Tuesday during the 20th Meeting of the Bureau of EAC Speakers, where Senate Speaker Amason Kingi formally handed over the chairmanship to Somalia’s Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur.
Kingi described the handover as a demonstration that no single member state dominates the community and stressed the importance of equality among partners.
“I want to announce to you that the next Chairperson of this bureau shall be the Federal Republic of Somalia, so my brother, Speaker Sheikh, is the one who’s going to be steering this boat for the next year,” he said.
He explained that the rotation of leadership helps to maintain balance and strengthen unity, particularly amid occasional rivalries among member states.
“As Somalia now takes over, I believe that will send a very strong message that indeed we are one and as partner states we are equal. No partner state can claim a monopoly on this community. As member states, we have pledged our support to the federal government for the duration of their term,” Kingi added.
Speaker Sheikh welcomed the new responsibility and promised to focus on enhancing regional collaboration and delivering actionable agendas.
“I would like to confirm that we will take initiative, leadership should come together to support our parliaments, and to bring fruitful agendas in the next year,” he said.
Burundi, which was next in the rotation, indicated that internal constraints prevented it from assuming the leadership role, paving the way for Somalia. Kingi also took the opportunity to update delegates on Somalia’s progress, reassuring them that the country’s democratic processes are advancing.
“You might hear that sometimes things happen, but reality has changed. We are conducting local elections in November, and we are expecting to have the national election next year. You will witness that all will go well,” he said.
Mogadishu is set to host the 21st Meeting of the Bureau of EAC Speakers in March 2026, marking Somalia’s first year leading the Bureau.
In another key development, Uganda confirmed that it is prepared to host the 15th Inter-Parliamentary Games from December 6 to 17, 2025, in the Kampala Metropolitan area. Speakers praised Uganda for organizing the event even as the country enters a general election period starting January 15, 2026.
Kingi encouraged all member states to ensure their teams participate fully.
“We wish to urge our partner states to send their teams so that the kind of preparation that this country has put in place does not go to waste,” he said.
“We have had confirmation from our colleague speakers from the partner states that each one of us will endeavour to send their teams. These games are not about winning or losing. It is about deepening and widening the integration quest. It is about bringing East Africans together so that as people, we get to know each other, we exchange our cultures and become one as a people from one economic block.”
Earlier discussions involving Clerks of EAC National Legislatures and the East African Legislative Assembly highlighted the need for transparency in managing budgets. Deputy Clerk Jeremiah Ndombi, representing National Assembly Clerk Samuel Njoroge, emphasized accountability in resource allocation.
“This will guard against wastage of resources committed to the games by the partner states,” he said.
Delegates also recommended that EALA Clerks strengthen communication with national parliaments, especially on proposed Bills, to promote coordinated implementation across all member states.
