Joseph Ntakarutimana, a Burundian legislator and deputy Secretary General of his home’s ruling party was elected Tuesday as the new Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) replacing Rwandese Martin Ngoga, who has occupied the same position since 2017
The 60-year-old lawmaker was elected during the first session of the fifth EALA Assembly, in Arusha, Tanzania.
The electorate consisted of 63 MPs making up EALA. Such MPs were elected by national assemblies of the seven EAC partner States, with each accounting for nine. The partner States are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Ntakarutimana garnered 54 votes, or 85.7 per cent of the total 63 votes cast.
Of the cast votes, 55 were valid votes, and eight spoilt votes. Among the valid votes, only one vote was against him.
Initially, four MPs were vying for the EALA Speaker seat. However, three MPs (from South Sudan) confirmed their withdrawals from the race, before the poll took place.
They are Thoar Gideon Gatpa; Gai Deng; and Leonardo Anne Itto.
Ntakarutimana said that he was elected a Member of Parliament in June 1993, with his recent position being a Senator, indicating that he has been a legislator for almost 30 years so far.
Other positions he held include being a Burundian envoy in Kenya, and the Ambassador of his country in the United Nations in New York.
The Speaker of the EALA is elected by the Members from among their members on rotational basis.
CU/abj/APA