PRESIDENT Jakaya Kikwete has counselled members of the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) to abide by the guiding principles in the treaty that established the East African Community (EAC) when debating in the assembly.

Mr Kikwete gave the advice to the EALA Speaker, Ms Margareth Ziwa, who paid the president a courtesy call on Wednesday evening. "EAC is all about the treaty and protocols that established the community and all member states have the obligation to observe what is in the treaty," he said.

He also said that EALA should note that member states are sovereign countries with their own laws thus the assembly can only play an advisory role and has no powers to force governments to implement issues that are not in the treaty. Ms Ziwa from Uganda is the first woman to hold the post and had gone to the State House to present herself after being elected to the position recently.

The president called on the members of EALA to carefully read the treaty and protocols that established EAC to execute better their duties without interfering with the sovereignty of member states. "Take time to read and understand the treaty and protocols because that will help you in pushing your agenda in the sessions and eloquently expressing yourselves," he said.

Meanwhile, the president met with the Secretary General of EAC, Dr Richard Sezibera, who went to the State House to highlight the head of state on the community's programmes for the remainder of the year.