EALA has today commended the Chair of the Summit of EAC Heads of State, President Uhuru Kenyatta for the insightful delivery of the State of EAC Address in Arusha, on March 25th 2014. The House debated on the speech terming it concise and one that elaborated on key policy issues for the region. The motion moved by the Minister for EAC, Republic of Uganda, Hon Shem Bageine on behalf of the Chair of the Council of Ministers, Hon Phyllis C. Kandie was widely supported by the legislators.
Hon Bageine remarked that the speech had called for the full and systematic implementation of the pillars of integration.
The Minister termed the Address as pivotal in addressing matters of integration. “From a board perspective, the President gave a broad, knowledgeable and insightful outline of the Community’s principal priorities and areas of focus. This was well in line with the responsibility of the Summit to give general directions and impetus as to the development of the Community”, Hon Bageine said.
He remarked that the region was eager to consolidate on the Common Market Protocol and within the appropriate time to commence on the implementation of the Monetary Union Protocol. Hon Bageine assured the Assembly that the Council was committed to strengthening the integration process and it would address perennial problems facing integration. The Chairperson of the Council of the Ministers further informed the Assembly of EAC’s desire to complete the on-going negotiations with COMESA and SADC on the free trade area negotiations.
During debate, Hon Dora Byamukama, congratulated President Uhuru Kenyatta for his directive to the regional security forces to curb the wildlife menace and said this would ideally shore up the tourism numbers.
“It is comforting to know the Summit is concerned about the depletion of rhinos among other wildlife. This is commendable”, Hon Byamukama said.
Hon Abubakar Zein lauded the efforts being undertaken by the Summit towards removing the NTBs especially the reduced police roadblocks to spur trade. He remarked that the Integration process should be people-centred and termed the Summit’s desire to bring into force the Peace and Security instruments as key.
“The decision to amend the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC is worthy and I call on the region when the time comes to strengthen the legislature and judiciary including the expansion of the jurisdiction of the EACJ”, he said.
Hon Leonce Ndarubagiye rallied for strong structures and models of the Political Federation to be put in place to secure the future of the region.
On his part, Hon AbuBakr Ogle lauded President Kenyatta for his dynamism saying his contribution to the progress at EAC was remarkable.
“Within one month of his election last year, the President issued a directive for the removal of 38 roadblocks between Mombasa and Malaba which was commendable”, he said.
On poaching, the Member added that the wildlife in the region were under danger of extinction. “Only last week, two precious rhinos were killed at the Lake Nakuru National park and there is need to provide adequate protection to wildlife” Hon Ogle said.
Hon Dan Kidega hailed the people-centred approach of the President. “He has a free will, interacts well with the members and the media”, he said. He maintained that as the last pillar of integration, Political Federation was a sure step of galvanising the gains of integration.
Hon Christophe Bazivamo termed the President’s speech as full of wisdom and advised the House to urge the Council of Ministers to have monitoring and evaluation mechanism s to follow up on decisions and directives of the Head of State.
Others who supported the motion were Hon Mike Sebalu and Hon Tiperu Nusura.
In his Address, President Kenyatta who is the Chairperson of the Summit of the EAC Heads of State, called on the continent to wake up from its slumber and to take head-on, the steps necessary to rid itself of poverty. The Head of State remarked that despite the fact that the EAC had made some discoveries in natural resources, its citizens continued to live in abject poverty.
“In the last five years, our region has seen discoveries of new minerals and fossil deposits. Yet we have hardly scratched the surface of our wealth creation, while the number of our poor remains unacceptably high”, he said.
In that regard, the Head of State challenged the Council to seriously consider the complete harmonization of Community laws and regulations on exploitation of natural resources.
The President called for stringent measures to be put in place to address the re-emerging poaching of wildlife which he said, threatened to kill the tourism sector. “Sadly, East Africa has been identified as a major source region and a favourite transit route for this callous commerce”, President Kenyatta lamented.
“In the period between January and October 2013 alone, over ten tonnes of Ivory were intercepted at the Port of Mombasa,” he added. President Kenyatta thus called on the region’s security agencies and the wildlife management authorities to tighten the co-operation and to stem the menace.
The Kenyan President further undertook to push for the amendments to the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC during his tenure.
“The Treaty has served us well but like our national constitutions, it is a living document, to be reviewed from time to time. It is my hope that the present examination of the Treaty will be hastened to align it to the realities of our present experience and our hopes for the future” he remarked.
President Kenyatta went on further to say that his term would see better performance in terms of adherence to the decisions, directives and legislations made. “They (directives, decisions and legislations) will not serve the Community’s interest if we can neither enforce nor evaluate them. We must mean what we say”, the Head of State added.
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Bobi Odiko,
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East African Legislative Assembly;
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