Civil Society wants court to intervene in border closure

Sheila Kawamara (left), the executive director EASSI, Mariam Bahur (central), the chairperson for Busia woman cross-border trade cooperation and Jane Benuza (right) the chairperson Mutukula women cross borders cooperative. Photo by Ivan Kabuye

BORDER                        EAC

By Natasha Namara

Three Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have demanded that the regional court pronounces itself on the continued border closure.

The organizations that included Eastern African Sub Regional Support Initiative for Advanced of Women (EASSI), Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) and Southern Eastern Africa Trade Information and Negotiations Institute (SEATINI)-Uganda made this move following failure of the planned 21^st East African Community Heads of summit meeting that had been scheduled February 29.

"We strongly abhor the attitude, silence and none involvement in the negotiations of the East African Heads of States who constitute the summit," said Sheila Kawamara, the executive director EASSI.

As CSOs, Kawamara added that they want the court to declare that such must never be allowed to happen anywhere else within the East African Community jurisdiction and issue a permanent injunction against the two governments to ensure free movement of persons and trade facilitation.

While addressing the press on Thursday last week at Royal Suites, Kawamara added that from a women's business community conference held from February 25-26, the closing of the Gatuna-Katuna border has also affected other businesses on other borders like Busia and Mirama hills.

"In my general merchandise business, I have been earning about sh500,000 per day. I used to sell commodities bought from Kenya to Rwanda, but the closure of the border has broken our business chain" said Miria Akankwansa the chairperson for Katuna women cross border trade cooperation.

Akankwansa who expressed concern about the border said that as Katuna people, a letter was written to the president and addressed through their Member of Parliament as they await a response.

Mariam Bangu, the chairperson for Busia women cross border trade cooperation said that the East African Community should respect article 121 of their treaty which respects the participation of women in trade.  

The women traders' conference held under the theme, "Dismantling Systemic Barriers that hinder Women's Economic Empowerment" made a number of recommendations like pushing for women's voice and agency in economic decision making, intensifying advocacy for progressive, gender-responsive regulations, institutions and social norms, among others.