East Africa: EAC States Urged to Fully Implement Common Market Protocol

By George Okore

KAMPALA---The Chairperson of  the Summit of  the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State and President of Kenya Mwai Kibaki has urged partner states to fully implement the Common Market Protocol to ensure citizens of the region reap all benefits.

While delivering the State of EAC address at the Parliament of Uganda Wednesday, Kibaki called for the diversification of the region’s economies noting the EAC should constantly mechanise agriculture, industrialise and enhance tourism and the ICT among other growth sectors.

 “Trade in the region has increased from $2bn in 2005 to $4bn in 2010, and that the East African people are continuing to expect the benefits of the community. Therefore, we need to hasten the pace of the integration. We should also fast track the transposition of national laws that contradict The Common Market spirit to enable its successful implementation,” President Kibaki remarked.

 The President made the address to Members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) who are in Kampala for the 3rd Meeting of the 5th session. “While it is commendable that tourist arrivals to our region have now surpassed the 4 million mark, this number is still small, indeed smaller than what individual countries such as South Africa and Egypt receive. We must, therefore, invest in tourism promotion in innovative ways including through projects that will, for example, offer tourists to our region opportunities to visit circuits that will take them to different parts of East Africa,” he said.

The President lauded the considerable progress made towards upgrade of the regional road network projects and called for the upgrade and modernization of the EAC rail networks to spur further progress.   President Kibaki lamented about the shortage of energy which continued to hamper progress and development in the region. “The shortfall in the supply of power remains a major constraint to economic development in the EAC economies”, President Kibaki said. 

 “Several projects aimed at building a reliable power supply capacity across the region are currently underway. These include the Bujagali Hydro Power Project here in Uganda as well as the expansion of geothermal power generation at Olkaria in Kenya”, the President said.  

Rt. Hon Abdi lauded the President for his contribution to the constitutional dispensation in Kenya.  “Kenya has enjoyed and still continues to enjoy your rich constitutional wisdom.  Few of us know that you and a few others drafted the document which was to become the first constitution of Kenya.  You also presided over the recent new Constitution which is now a beacon of hope for the country,” the Speaker said.

The Speaker urged citizens of the region to elect visionary and credible leaders when the elections are held. “Your Excellency, the people of Kenya will soon go into general elections to choose their leaders.  We wish them peaceful elections and to assure you that people of East Africa are with them.   The same goes to all East Africans interested in contesting as Members of EALA,” Rt. Hon Abdi said in reference to the elections that Partner States shall soon be holding to elect EALA representatives.

In his remarks, Hon Mike Sebalu hailed President Kibaki for his worthy contribution to the region. Hon Sebalu praised the Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda Rt. Hon Rebecca Kadaga for her cordiality and support to EALA. “We congratulate the great son of the region for his achievements par excellence in the academic and political arena.  Dr. Kibaki has indeed been a shining star at the national, regional and even international level”, Hon Sebalu said, adding that the Kenyan Head of State was focused and a pillar of integration.

Meanwhile, the Assembly is expected to continue with its business next Monday, January 31, 2012. Next week the Assembly shall deliberate on the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Bill, EAC Transboundary Eco-Systems Bill and the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill. The Assembly will also pose questions to the Council of Ministers, debate and adopt various Committee Reports, Motions and Resolutions.