EAC to get community ministers
May 30, 2005
THE three East African heads of state have agreed to carry out wider consultations in their respective countries on the proposed political federation.
By Cyprian Musoke
THE three East African heads of state have agreed to carry out wider consultations in their respective countries on the proposed political federation.
Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki have also agreed to appoint ministers responsible for East African Community (EAC) affairs, and a deputy secretary general to expedite the process of integration.
The presidents, at the end of the third extraordinary summit of heads of state of the EAC held at the Royal Palm Hotel in Dar-es-Salaam yesterday, directed the council of ministers to form national consultative mechanisms to collect views from the public and report back in 12 months.
“Their excellencies underscored the need for each partner state to widen consultations and include all key stakeholders including the general public, parliaments, civil society, the academia, religious institutions and political parties to obtain more views and comments on the best way to go,†a statement from State House, Nakasero said.
The outcome of wider country consultations will be subjected to negotiations by the council of ministers.
The statement yesterday quoted Museveni as saying that the three leaders realised the danger that Africa could easily be re-colonised and had now committed themselves to quickening the East African Federation to create a strong political and economic bloc.
Speaking yesterday at the end of the summit, Museveni said the process for the federation was started in 1963 when the first East African leaders, the late Julius Nyerere, the late Jomo Kenyatta and Milton Obote met in Mbale, Uganda.
The process was abandoned in preference of the East African Community that collapsed in 1977.
Museveni said he was pleased that the three leaders had agreed to bring back the federal issue.
He thanked Tanzania, saying the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party was a historic ally of the Movement in Uganda.
THE three East African heads of state have agreed to carry out wider consultations in their respective countries on the proposed political federation.
Presidents Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and Kenya’s Mwai Kibaki have also agreed to appoint ministers responsible for East African Community (EAC) affairs, and a deputy secretary general to expedite the process of integration.
The presidents, at the end of the third extraordinary summit of heads of state of the EAC held at the Royal Palm Hotel in Dar-es-Salaam yesterday, directed the council of ministers to form national consultative mechanisms to collect views from the public and report back in 12 months.
“Their excellencies underscored the need for each partner state to widen consultations and include all key stakeholders including the general public, parliaments, civil society, the academia, religious institutions and political parties to obtain more views and comments on the best way to go,†a statement from State House, Nakasero said.
The outcome of wider country consultations will be subjected to negotiations by the council of ministers.
The statement yesterday quoted Museveni as saying that the three leaders realised the danger that Africa could easily be re-colonised and had now committed themselves to quickening the East African Federation to create a strong political and economic bloc.
Speaking yesterday at the end of the summit, Museveni said the process for the federation was started in 1963 when the first East African leaders, the late Julius Nyerere, the late Jomo Kenyatta and Milton Obote met in Mbale, Uganda.
The process was abandoned in preference of the East African Community that collapsed in 1977.
Museveni said he was pleased that the three leaders had agreed to bring back the federal issue.
He thanked Tanzania, saying the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party was a historic ally of the Movement in Uganda.