EAC leaders direct on political federation

By Moses Walubiri

REGIONAL leaders under East African Community (EAC) bloc on Wednesday made a string of recommendations and reviews about progress towards political federation, with the heads of states present directing the council to initiate a process of drafting a constitution for the eventual political federation.

The 12th Extra Ordinary summit  in Arusha, Tanzania was graced by Presidents Yoweri Museveni, Jakaya Kikwete and Uhuru Kenyatta of Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya respectively.

Burundi was represented by its First Vice President, Prosper Bazombaza, while Rwanda, its Prime Minister, Dr. Pierre Damien Habumuremye. 

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Signing communiqué issued at the 12th Extraordinary Summit of the Heads of State of the East African Community. PHOTO BY PPU

With the heads of state deciding to hold two Extra Ordinary Summits annually – in April and November – the Arusha summit marked another milestone in the region’s inexorable move towards a political federation as stake holders seek more time to streamline the process.

Below are the highpoints of the summit:

• The summit considered a report of the council of ministers on the comprehensive list on implementation of previous decisions and directives of the summit.

• A progress report on viable means of financing EAC activities was considered with the summit ordering that a report on the same be presented during the November summit.

• A report on the mooted admission of South Sudan into EAC was received with South Sudan lodging a request for the postponement of the process until October 2014 to permit internal consultations.

• Progress reports on the establishment of a political federation and that on EAC institutional review were received with the heads of states ordering the council to develop a roadmap on what the constitutional making process would entail.

• The summit reiterated the regional’s commitment to combating terrorism, decrying the gruesome Westgate terror attack in Kenya last year.

• A plaque in memory of the 1994 Rwanda genocide victims was unveiled with a commitment of never allowing such inhumanity to occur unchallenged.

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Unveiling plaque in memory of the victims of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. PHOTO BY PPU