By Mike Sebalu

TWO other countries, Djibouti and Guinea have pledged to send troops to Mogadishu, thereby increasing the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troops’ numbers from 6,100 contributed by Uganda and Burundi to 8,100 fighters.

Algeria, on her part, has offered to transport the additional troops from Guinea to Mogadishu.

The three countries involved in this new initiative must be applauded by Africa in general and the East African Community (EAC) in particular for their timely intervention.

This is a positive development, which will help many Africans understand and appreciate the need for collective effort in fighting terrorism which is a global threat to mankind. The Somalia problem is not just a Ugandan or Burundian problem; it is an African and indeed a global security issue which must be dealt with resolutely as a matter of urgency.

We, therefore, need to hear many more such voices from the other African states and more so from other EAC partner states.

The Somalia crisis should be of particular interest to the EAC from a strategic and security perspective. It is, therefore, surprising to note that only two out of the five partner states have responded to the call of duty in Somalia.

I wonder whether the EAC has bothered to weigh the opportunity cost of sitting back and watching as Somalia, which is in our backyard, is being turned into an epicentre of terrorism on the continent. The terrorist’s attacks on Kampala should serve to illustrate the threat levels.

The EAC common market which went into effect on July 1, 2010, can only thrive and be of benefit to the East African people in an environment of predictable peace and security, free from terrorist attacks.

For that matter, all the EAC partner states should take a front seat in driving the process of eliminating terrorist tendencies in the neighbourhood of the community.

In that respect, the best case scenario would be a situation where all the EAC partner states pronounce themselves to jointly and collectively take on the challenge of Somalia. The EAC should borrow a leaf from the Economic Community of West African States where collective interventions have ensured the security and stability of the region.

As we applaud the new countries that have come on board, we need to call upon those of our own within the EAC to follow suit and prove that the integration is relevant to the regional security architecture. We eagerly await a joint East African voice on the Somalia question which has the potential of destabilising the region if not addressed in time.

The time to address this question is now and Uganda and Burundi should be able to enjoy the good company of the other EAC partner states in the trenches of Mogadishu, sooner than later.

The writer is a member of the East African legislative assembly