Issuance of EAC passports kick off in November

By John Odyek

The issuance of East Africa Community (EAC) passports kicks off in November, (EAC) secretary general, Dr Richard Sezibera, has said.

This is aimed at facilitating movement of persons and trade in the region.

"Physical borders are being removed for regional integration but for some people it was still stuck in their minds," Sezibera said.

Sezibera said this while delivering a public lecture to students and staff of Kampala International University (KIU).

Sezibera sensitised students and staff on EAC activities and delivered a lecture on 'leadership and entrepreneurship'.

He said the EAC was being turned into a single higher education area where higher education and qualifications would be harmonized.

The EAC chief said leaders should have vision and expand their intellect. "Past leaders thought it was better to rule uneducated Africans. Colonialists feared that educated Africans would become dangerous and so some of our leaders were not enabled to sharpen their intellect," he said.

He expressed shock at critics who were saying too many people were getting higher education. "It is better to have a cleaner with an engineering degree because he can invent which can clean more efficiently. Grow your intellect, if you can't read, you can't lead," Sezibera said.

Prof. Kazenga Tibenderana the vice chancellor of KIU said the university regards its status as an international university very seriously.

"KIU is an effective tool in the process of forging East African Unity and it regards it as a noble duty," Tibenderana said.

He said KIU has adopted a strategy of starting programmes across the region such as in Tanzania and Kenya. "In the past 10 years higher education has become increasingly international in that more students choose to study abroad, enrol on foreign educational programmes in their home country or use Internet to take courses at a university in other countries," Tibenderana said.

Students Sarah Waiswa, Rogers Nabasa, Derrick, Emmanuel asked the EAC to look into the issue of youth employments, talent development and youth empowerment.

They said safety guards should put in place to ensure the EAC does not collapse. They urged all partner states especially Tanzania and Burundi to fully support integration.