Join the Debate on EAC political Federation

Photo: H.E The president of Tanzania with Ayoub mzee

Was Tanzania Right not to Join the EAC political Federation i.e having one president for East Africa?
The East African Community (EAC) is the regional intergovernmental organisation of the Republics of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Burundi and Republic of Rwanda with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. Recently , it has been rumoured that Uganda, Kenya ,and Rwanda intends to leave out Tanzania in its regional integration and one presidency issue
Official:Uganda and Kenya have no plans to leave out Tanzania in the federation of the East African Community, Eriya Kategaya has said.
The Minister for East Africa said although there were concerns by Tanzania that Uganda and Kenya were moving very fast, the plan for a political federation would not be derailed.
"There is no plan whatsoever for Uganda and Kenya to move without Tanzania. This kind of debate has been going on but it is not the official position of any of the countries. I know there has been discussions seeking to review the trend of the fast tracking but the objective remains to have a bigger East African unit which will give us better bargaining power” said Eriya kategaya.

What happened?

6th EXTRA-ORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE
JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ

20 AUGUST 2007
NGURDOTO MOUNTAIN LODGE, ARUSHA, TANZANIA.

THE 6TH EXTRAORDINARY SUMMIT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY HEADS OF STATE WAS HELD IN A WARM AND CORDIAL ATMOSPHERE AT THE NGURDOTO MOUNTAIN LODGE IN ARUSHA, TANZANIA ON 20TH AUGUST 2007.

THE SUMMIT WAS ATTENDED BY THE FOLLOWING HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT:
H.E. YOWERI KAGUTA MUSEVENI, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA;
H.E. MWAI KIBAKI, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA;
H.E. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA;
H.E PAUL KAGAME, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA; AND
H.E. GABRIEL NTISEZERANA, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI.
IN ATTENDANCE WAS H.E. AMANI ABEID KARUME, PRESIDENT OF THE REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNMENT OF ZANZIBAR.

THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTED EAC ORGANS AND INSTITUTIONS: HON. MR. JUSTICE MOIJO M. OLE KEIWUA, JUDGE PRESIDENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COURT OF JUSTICE; RT. HON. ABDIRAHIN HAITHAR ABDI, SPEAKER OF THE EAST AFRICAN LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY; MR. GODFREY TUMUSIIME, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE EAST AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK; PROF. CHACHA NYAIGOTTI-CHACHA, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE INTER-UNIVERSITY COUNCIL FOR EAST AFRICA; MR. THOMAS MAEMBE, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE LAKE VICTORIA FISHERIES ORGANIZATION; DR. TOM OKIA OKURUT, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN COMMISSION.
THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF COMESA, MR. ERASTUS MWENCHA REPRESENTED COMESA.

THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTED THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN EAST AFRICA: MR. ARUN DEVANI, CHAIRPERSON OF THE EAST AFRICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL AND MR. CHARLES MBOGORI, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF THE EAST AFRICAN BUSINESS COUNCIL.

The Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Rt. Hon. Eriya Kategaya presented an outline of the Reports that had been tabled for consideration at this 6th Extraordinary Summit of EAC Heads of State. The Summit deliberated and decided on the following issues:

1.0 NATIONAL CONSULTATIONS ON FAST TRACKING THE PROCESS TOWARDS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A POLITICAL FEDERATION

RECALLING its decision during the 5th Extraordinary Summit Meeting held in Kampala on 18th June 2007 that an Extraordinary Summit Meeting be convened in August 2007 to consider the Reports of the national consultations on fast tracking the process towards the East African Political Federation;

APPRECIATED the excellent work done by the National Consultative Committees of the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Uganda and the Republic of Kenya in producing the Reports containing the views of nationals on the process;
HAVING CONSIDERED the Reports of the National Consultative Committees:

NOTED WITH APPRECIATION the overwhelming support of East Africans in the Partner States of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda for the establishment of a Political Federation;

FURTHER NOTED the need to mobilize and deepen sensitization on political integration, stimulate greater political will to promote deeper economic integration and to lock-in gains achieved from economic cooperation;

NOTED THAT the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Burundi shall commence, at the earliest, a consultation process on the establishment of a Political Federation.

NOTED FURTHER that the Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Burundi shall speed up the process of integrating fully in the EAC Customs Union.

DECIDED that there is need to move expeditiously towards establishing a Common Market and a Monetary Union by 2012 as the EAC moves on to the Political Federation.

FURTHER DIRECTED that the Secretariat first explores the possibility of achieving the threshold of the Customs Union sooner; and second, develops a strategic framework to fast track the establishment of the Common Market and the Monetary Union for the consideration by the Council and the next Summit.

CALLED UPON the Secretariat to urgently formulate an East African Community Industrial and Investment Strategy supported by an effective institutional decision-making framework with a view to promoting equitable industrial development in East Africa.
2.0 EAC-EPA CONFIGURATION

RECALLING the April 2002 Summit decision that EAC should negotiate as a bloc in matters of ACP, EU and WTO trade arrangements;

FURTHER RECALLING the directive of the Summit at its Extraordinary Meeting held in Kampala on 18th June 2007 that the Ministers responsible for Trade and the Ministers responsible for East African Community Affairs meet urgently to consider and propose the way forward for EAC to negotiate an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU) for consideration at this Extraordinary Summit Meeting;

HAVING CONSIDERED the proposal jointly made by the aforementioned Ministers;

A GREE that the EAC explores the possibility of negotiating an EPA with the EU.


3.0 AMENDMENTS TO THE TREATY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

RECALLING its earlier decision of 30th November 2006 to admit the Republic of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda as full Members of the East African Community effective from 1st July, 2007 after the conclusion of Treaties of Accession;

FURTHER RECALLING that the Treaties of Accession with the Republic of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda were signed at the 5th Extraordinary Summit held in Kampala on 18th June 2007;

NOTING that the Republic of Burundi and the Republic of Rwanda had finalized the accession process by each depositing the instruments of ratification of the Accession Treaties with the Secretary General;

FURTHER NOTING the need to amend some provisions of the Treaty establishing the East African Community with a view to facilitating the effective participation of the two new Partner States in EAC Organs and Institutions;

APPROVED the amendments to Articles 13, 17, 19, 48, 62 and 65 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community.
DONE AT ARUSHA, THIS 20TH DAY OF AUGUST 2007
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H.E. YOWERI K. MUSEVENI
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA
H.E. JAKAYA MRISHO KIKWETE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA
H.E. MWAI KIBAKI
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA

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H.E. PAUL KAGAME
PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA
H.E. GABRIEL NTISEZERANA
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURUNDI
(Courtesy : EAC : Arusha)