THE East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has launched a five years strategic plan aimed at empowering women leaders on how they can track development of the group and various opportunities in the regional bloc.

EALA Member from Rwanda Fatuma Ndangiza said the strategic plan will be beneficial to women, because it will enable women leaders to make close follow-up and take advantage of various opportunities available in the bloc.

Speaking to journalists recently, Ms Ndangiza said that the strategic plan will help women to express themselves and ask questions related to development in EAC which will lead to improvement of various women issues in member states.

"The launching of the strategy is part of the efforts aimed at getting more women leaders for EAC member countries," she said.

She said during the recent East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) meetings the members made huge changes of the EAC constitution in order to continue giving priorities to women so that they can continue benefiting from various leadership opportunities.

According to her there is high hope expected to be achieved in Member States through the EALA after getting a big number of women.

"We will continue to fight for women equality in leadership in EAC ... we expect to attain our objectives in 2027," she said.

"We EALA members are proud of Tanzania being led by a woman President Samia Suluhu Hassan and ministers who are women," she added.

The East African Legislative Assembly is the Legislative Organ of the East African Community. Its Membership consists of a total of 72, of whom 63 are elected Members (9 from each Partner State) and 9 ex-officio members (the Ministers responsible for EAC Affairs from the Partner States, the Secretary General of the Community and the Counsel to the Community).

The East African Legislative Assembly has legislative functions as well as oversight of all East African Community matters.

The enactment of legislation of the Community is put in effect by means of Bills passed by the Assembly and assented to by the Heads of State, and every Bill that has been duly passed and assented to become an Act of the Community takes precedent over similar legislations in the Partner States.

EALA has to date passed 79 pieces of legislation.