Ex-Eala speaker Martin Ngoga lands a key ambassadorial position

Arusha. Martin Karoli Ngoga, the former Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) has been appointed Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Kenya.

He was one of the senior government officials named to take up various diplomatic posts by President Paul Kagame on Friday.

Mr Ngoga’s appointment as Kigali’s envoy to Nairobi means the former eloquent lawmaker will still be an asset in the regional integration efforts.

Envoys from the same bloc serving diplomatic missions within the East African Community (EAC) states are normally involved in the regional affairs.

These include representing their respective countries in meetings and allied activities taking place in the host countries. Mr Ngoga served as Eala Speaker from December 2017 to December last year, a five year, non-renewable term for the position.

He was the fifth Speaker of the regional Assembly after Abdulrahman Kinana from Tanzania (2001-2007) and Abdirahin Haithar Abdi (Kenya) from 2007- 2012.

Other former Speakers were Margaret Nantongo Zziwa from Uganda (2012-2014), later replaced by Daniel Kidega from the same country (2014-2017).

The current Speaker of the regional Parliament is Joseph Ntakirutimana, a lawmaker from Burundi. He was elected last December for a five year term.

Speaking to The Citizen from Kigali yesterday, Mr.Ngoga said he was gratified by the appointment especially in that he would continue to serve within the EAC region.

“Indeed I am grateful for the opportunity to continue serving within the EAC region”, he pointed out.

Mr. Ngoga has held senior posts in the Rwanda government prior to being elected Eala member from 2015 and later its Speaker.