The Youth in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania are fighting for seats in the East African Legislative assembly. The youth on both opposition and ruling party sides in east Africa have all designed strategies they intend to use to win EALA seats. The strategies include lobbying their respective party heads to give them a chance to be represented in EALA.

The chairman of the East African Community Youth Organisation (EACYO), Mrisho Gambo says that the youth this time are determined to replace the old people in the East African Parliament.

EACYO has representatives in Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Southern Sudan and Tanzania. One of the major objectives of EACYO is to sensitise the youth to take part in the east African politics.

Gambo says that the youth will do a lot to promote the East African Community and show the people ofEast Africa, and the African continent at large that it is possible to walk out of poverty.

The process of electing EALA members has kicked off ahead of the May polls in March.  The term for the current EALA sitting expires on June 5, 2012. Under the East African Community treaty, each member state is required to nominate nine MPs to the EALA Assembly.