Youth key in regional integration

Apr 24, 2014

Plans are ongoing to have a single currency in the next three years, and eventually a political fusion known as the East African Federation.

trueBy Davis Akampurira

The regional integration drive is on high gear with the recent key developments in the region: Joint infrastructure investments including a standard gauge railway system running from Juba in South Sudan to Kigali via Uganda, an oil pipeline from Hoima to Lamu Port in Kenya, an oil refinery in Hoima, a modern airport at Lamu Port, a super highway from Lamu Port to Juba, a single tourism visa, and a single customs territory which is already operational.

Pushing through joint projects is to enhance regional integration on the economic front, which shall accelerate the movement of goods and capital across the borders under the current Common Market. Plans are ongoing to have a single currency in the next three years, and eventually a political fusion known as the East African Federation.

Notwithstanding the ambitiousness of our regional leaders to realise a one East Africa, there is ongoing debate as to the level of engagement of the wananchi to regional integration efforts. How much do the common people know about the East African Federation, for example?

And, specifically, what is the role of the youth in the regional integration process? Youth constitute the greatest proportion of the East African population, which is estimated at 140 million. There should be strategic mechanisms by the member states aimed at bringing the youth at the forefront of regional integration as it is evident that the future of East Africa lies in the hands of the youth.

As our leaders continue to meet at higher levels to sign protocols, treaties, memoranda, roadmaps and action plans, detailing deeper engagement and development trajectories, they should impress it upon the youth that they have a greater role in fusing the East Africa.

East Africa is blessed to have youthful leaders like the Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto who should take the lead of galvanising the youth into opportunities and initiatives of regional integration. We need to see more interactive platforms where the youth get opportunity to discuss the kind of East Africa they want, and this could be by amending the EAC Treaty on representation to East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) to provide for more seats for youth as special interest groups.  

The youth need to start seeing each other as people with common strategic interests in East Africa who share a common future. Uganda, for example, has got hundreds of thousands of foreign students from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi as well as other regional countries such as DR Congo, Somalia, South Sudan, which are potential candidates to the East African Community, scattered across the various universities, institutions, secondary and primary schools and college
 

The youth need to appreciate the history of regional integration right from before the colonial boundaries put us asunder to the first East African Community which collapsed in 1977, and the revived initiatives by the current and past leaders. Knowing where we are coming from will enable us to create an East African identity; a fundamental aspect that clearly and proudly defines us as East Africans.

Some of these students would remain in Uganda upon completion of their studies to seek employment opportunities or engage in private business. Indeed, various surveys have shown that the key sectors for instance telecoms, banking, IT, hospitality and chain stores are majorly staffed with Kenyan nationals, and to a lesser degree, Tanzanians and Rwandans. Down south, Rwanda has opened her doors to the young professionals like doctors, IT experts and English teachers.  

Young people from across East Africa continue to interact at school, job market, business environment and at social level which has resulted into stronger links and connections with some leading to intermarriage. This will fundamentally blur the border lines including such categorisations as “that Kenyan” or “that Ugandan” or “that Rwandan”, etc. 

The writer is Secretary External Affairs at National Youth Council

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