Time is ripe for East African Federation
Mar 22, 2007
The East African Federation is a brilliant idea. However, there are issues that need to be addressed within the member countries before the federation can be pronounced complete. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda should first consolidate the recently-established Customs Unions and move it to the Common Mar
Emma Were
The East African Federation is a brilliant idea. However, there are issues that need to be addressed within the member countries before the federation can be pronounced complete. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda should first consolidate the recently-established Customs Unions and move it to the Common Market and Monetary Union before jumping to more complicated issues like political federation.
In The East African of February 26–March 19, 2007, Charles Onyango-Obbo wrote that “what use is an East African president if he’s not elected?†While he makes a valid point, we should note that all East African countries, especially Uganda, are young democracies, and whatever political mechanism is instituted should be surrounded with checks and balances that define a common vision for all East Africans.
Issues like tribalism, corruption and stolen elections that characterise East African countries should not be ignored but must be dealt with head-on. Emphasis should be pressed on multi-sectoral development with agriculture acting as a fulcrum for common economic empowerment for East Africans.
Time has come for the Federation. Africans need each other in order to see their continent move from a Third World to a First World continent. How we achieve this depends on how much effort we put into our federation. We need to begin with East Africa Federation and grow bigger afterwards.
The three East African leaders in 1963 recognised the disadvantages of a balakanised continent. This is the time to push the ideas of our former leaders through for the sake of unity and freedom.
The Unification of East Africa is justified because we share a common history and common customs. We should consolidate our unity and provide it with a constitutional basis.
structural, cultural, social, political and other relations of the partner States.
The federation will address imbalances in trade and industry because economic planning will be done under one federal government. Economic integration alone can not guarantee the future of the African people. Political federation is the way to go.
The writer works at the Uganda Media Centre
The East African Federation is a brilliant idea. However, there are issues that need to be addressed within the member countries before the federation can be pronounced complete. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda should first consolidate the recently-established Customs Unions and move it to the Common Market and Monetary Union before jumping to more complicated issues like political federation.
In The East African of February 26–March 19, 2007, Charles Onyango-Obbo wrote that “what use is an East African president if he’s not elected?†While he makes a valid point, we should note that all East African countries, especially Uganda, are young democracies, and whatever political mechanism is instituted should be surrounded with checks and balances that define a common vision for all East Africans.
Issues like tribalism, corruption and stolen elections that characterise East African countries should not be ignored but must be dealt with head-on. Emphasis should be pressed on multi-sectoral development with agriculture acting as a fulcrum for common economic empowerment for East Africans.
Time has come for the Federation. Africans need each other in order to see their continent move from a Third World to a First World continent. How we achieve this depends on how much effort we put into our federation. We need to begin with East Africa Federation and grow bigger afterwards.
The three East African leaders in 1963 recognised the disadvantages of a balakanised continent. This is the time to push the ideas of our former leaders through for the sake of unity and freedom.
The Unification of East Africa is justified because we share a common history and common customs. We should consolidate our unity and provide it with a constitutional basis.
structural, cultural, social, political and other relations of the partner States.
The federation will address imbalances in trade and industry because economic planning will be done under one federal government. Economic integration alone can not guarantee the future of the African people. Political federation is the way to go.
The writer works at the Uganda Media Centre