EA MPs Want Political Union

Jan 23, 2002

MEMBERS of the East African Legislative assembly are pushing ahead with their demands for a political federation of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

By Richard Mutumbaand Felix OsikeMEMBERS of the East African Legislative assembly are pushing ahead with their demands for a political federation of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.while addressing the assembly on Monday, President Yoweri Museveni said he saw no problem with a political federation coming before the much expected customs union, common market and monetary union.The East African Community (EAC) is modelled along the lines of the European Union. Capt. Baker Ddudu (Uganda), while in Arusha, said the political federation must come first to show commitment to the EAC. He said the union would enable the three states pool resources for faster development. “The community’s legislative assembly should move fast enough and produce a time-frame for forging a political federation,” Daniel Wandera Ogalo (Uganda) said yesterday.Ogalo was debating on a motion urging heads of State, the council of ministers and all organs of the EAC to work towards the realisation of the terms and objectives of the community.“Any member of the assembly could, as a matter of urgency, move a Bill to produce a time frame for establishing a political union. We don’t have to wait for the council of ministers. We have the power,” he said.Ogalo said the first work of the assembly’s committee on regional cooperation should be to push for the political federation. He said a lot of programmes have not been implemented for lack of a political will.He said the federation should be pushed when there is still strong political commitment.Lt. Gen. Adan Abdullahi (Kenya) said the EAC should not only be people-centred but people-owned. “We would only be able to achieve our objectives if the people of the member states feel that the community is theirs.” Hamid Mahfoudh Alley (Tanzania) said there was still a lot of restrictions and red-tape in the movement of people within the member states.Prof. Margaret Kamar (Kenya) urged the leaders to stick to the fundamental principles of the EAC. “Mutual trust and political will are the cornerstones of the development of this co-operation,” she said.Lydia Wanyoto (Uganda) said, “We should make the EA Treaty a reality and living document to improve the quality of life of the East Africans.”She called for the repeal of the immigration and labour laws to allow free movement, trade and social interaction. She also called for the harmonisation of education policies.Benson Kangwana (Kenya) cautioned the leaders to be mindful of the “political and economic interests of the outsiders”, which he said led to the collapse of the former community. He said former president Milton Obote was overthrown by Idi Amin because his communist policies threatened the interest of the West.Ends

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});