Members of the East African Parliament are in the country ahead of the sixth session to discuss the region's budget.

The East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) MPs from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi arrived in the country Sunday alongside their Kenyan counterparts, and are expected to discuss and pass budget proposals for the community amounting to $30 million (Sh1.86 billion) for the 2008/2009 financial year.

This is the first time that legislators from Burundi and Rwanda are participating in the two-week session, having been admitted into the community mid-last year.

The 18 new MPs from the two countries are expected to be sworn in Tuesday in a ceremony to be held at Parliament's old chambers.

Speaking to the Nation Tuesday, Mr Justin Bundi, the Clerk to the Eala, said the members will also debate the state of the East African Community (EAC) address made by the chairperson of the Summit, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, on February 26 in Arusha.

The EAC Council of Ministers on March 8, considered and approved the community's budget proposals pending debate and approval by Eala.

Allocation of the approved budget was as follows: EAC secretariat ($16m), Defence Liaison Unit ($696,276), Directorate of Customs and Trade ($1.9m), East Africa Legislative Assembly ($ 6.8m), East African Court of Justice ($ 2.4m) and Lake Victoria Basin Commission ($ 2.4m).

Seminar

The Chairman of EAC Council of Ministers and Minister for East African Affairs in Uganda, Mr Eriya Kategaya, is expected to present the budget proposals to the Assembly on Thursday.

The Assembly's committees are expected to meet from today and May 21.

Mr Bundi said a further three-day seminar for the Members on Aid effectiveness, Political Parties and Media by the Association of Western European Parliamentarians for Africa (Awepa), will be held from May 24 to 26.