Mwinyi wants November 30 declared East African day

Former Tanzania’s president, Ali Hassan Mwinyi, has recommended to the member states of the East African Community (EAC) to declare November 30 as the East African Day and a public holiday to enhance citizens’ participation and awareness in the integration process.

November 30, 1993 was the day the EAC Tripartite Commission was launched, marking the rebirth of the community which collapsed in 1977. Currently, 30 November, is marked as EAC Day but is not a public holiday in the Partner States.

President Mwinyi made the suggestion yesterday in Dar es Salaam while launching the first research monograph on EAC integration process conducted by the Vision East Africa Forum (VEAF) which revealed that there was a limited participation of the citizens in the regional body.

‘’I will be more than happy to contribute towards persuading our incumbent Presidents to declare the 30th November, 1993, the day the EAC Tripartite Commission was  launched  in Arusha, with the late Mwalimu Nyerere in attendance, as East African Day,’’ said the former President who was by then Tanzania’s President.

Mwinyi said during the day, the citizens would among other things organize a number of activities including cultural, agricultural and industrial product shows in city squares and border crossings which, he said, at the end of the day would promote and increase awareness of the Community.

Part of the report said although the revival of the Community was meant to be a “people-centred” project, the outcome of the research proved the opposite.

 “A third of the population in countries like Tanzania and Kenya have not even heard of EAC integration,” the report attested adding:  “Only by improving the public knowledge about the process and by addressing the fears of citizens on all sides of the borders will second historic attempt at creating an East African Community prevail.”

The other members to the regional body are Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.

Speaking at the same occasion the former EAC Secretary General, Ambassador Juma Mwapachu, called for the need to engage the a common citizens in the whole integration crusade.

‘’East Africans need greater sensitization, greater mobilization and galvanization,’’ said Mwapachu.
 
He challenged VEAF, the regional think tank, to prepare an East African Development Vision so that the region could jointly realize the fruits of integration.

 Meanwhile, Rolf Paasch, Resident Director of Frieddrich-Ebert-Stifstung (FES) in Tanzania whose organization facilitated the launching ceremony and the research monograph, urged East Africans to do whatever they could to ensure that ordinary citizens are taken on board during the integration process.

The ceremony was also attended by members of the VEAF from the rest of region including non-government organizations, journalists and youth organizations. East African News Agency