Arusha — The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) is scheduled to debate for the first time, the regional one-stop Border Post Bill of 2010 and the Vehicle Load Control Bill of 2012.

This followed the clearance of the legal content of the two bills by the East African Community (EAC) sectoral council on legal affairs at a meeting held in Kigali, Rwanda.

"They are ready for the introduction in the East African Legislative Assembly later this year, the two bills will legislate the operation of the planned one stop border posts and the application of a uniform vehicle weight (axle load) limit for the region, respectively," said the EAC publicist Richard Owora.

EAC principal civil engineer Hosea Nyangweso explained that the partner states are required to establish and implement one stop border posts (OSBPs) at their common borders as outlined in the bill and may enter into such bilateral arrangements as shall be necessary for purposes of implementing the provisions of this Act

"The main objective of such one stop border posts shall be to enhance trade facilitation through the efficient movement of goods, persons and services within the Community and with adjoining regions," he told East African Business Week last week in Arusha, Tanzania.

Mr. Owora added that the council that includes the partner states' Attorneys General, Solicitors General and ministers responsible for judicial and constitutional affairs, also approved the legal content of the draft EAC Protocol on Peace and Security; the draft EAC Protocol on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures; the draft EAC Protocol on Information and Communication Technology Networks.