Wamuzi News Ke
Winnie Odinga, a Member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), has described the regional parliament as a collapsing institution “on its deathbed.”
Speaking during a candid interview on Hot 96 FM, Odinga didn’t hold back. She admitted to going unpaid for several months and even questioned her own role in the assembly: “Maybe there’s someone better for this position than me,” she remarked, leaving listeners stunned.
This dramatic confession has peeled back the glossy image of EALA as a prestigious legislative body and exposed a rotting core plagued by financial instability, low morale, and political complacency.
Many now wonder: is EALA truly a symbol of regional unity, or just a cushy landing pad for political elites?
Formed under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, EALA is supposed to drive integration across East Africa by crafting laws and providing oversight. But behind its grand mission lies a darker truth — critics say it’s become a political retirement home for the well-connected, riddled with opacity and detached from public service.
The Kenyan contingent of nine representatives, handpicked by the National Assembly, is supposedly elected competitively — but the process is increasingly being dismissed as a formality. Winnie Odinga, daughter of political heavyweight Raila Odinga, and Kennedy Musyoka, son of Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, both secured their seats through party endorsements, not merit-based contests.
Odinga’s frank remarks have laid bare a troubling reality: beyond the salary delays and funding deficits, EALA is facing an existential crisis. As its legitimacy crumbles and its relevance is called into question, the institution once tasked with shaping East Africa’s future is now struggling just to survive.
Stay tuned as the story develops — because what happens next at EALA could redefine the future of regional governance in East Africa.
