Uhuru: At EAC, we are partners not competitors
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto acknowledge cheers from Kitengela residents who lined up the road to greet them. The President was on his way for an official visit to Arusha, Tanzania by road where he said that East African Community member states are not competitors but partners, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said. PHOTO/PSCU
What you need to know:
- The President said member states need to complement rather than compete with each other and help one another overcome their weaknesses to achieve the agenda of integration.
- He said free movement of people should emulate what happens with ‘cattle of the Maasai across the border without anyone asking for visas’.
- Dr Sezibera said since President Kenyatta was elected, he had shown his commitment to regional integration through projects undertaken by his government .
East African Community member states are not competitors but partners, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.
Addressing East Africa Community (EAC) staff at the regional bloc’s headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania on Monday evening, President Kenyatta said, “We compete with other parts of the world.”
The President said member states need to complement rather than compete with each other and help one another overcome their weaknesses to achieve the agenda of integration.
As the chairman of EAC Heads of State Summit, President of Kenya and a committed East African, he said he fully supported the integration of East Africa, pointing out that it is only through unity that the citizens are assured of wealth creation, job creation and prosperity.
“Unity,” President Kenyatta said, “is the surest way to achieve economic development for our people. The process of bringing the people of the region together should move faster.”
He noted the need to revamp and review EAC institutions and organs to respond to current challenges and help to speed up the integration process.
He said the review is aimed at fast tracking the remaining protocols and programmes to achieve the political federation which the member states are yearning for.
MAASAI COWS
He said free movement of people should emulate what happens with ‘cattle of the Maasai across the border without anyone asking for visas’.
“We need to have quick systems to allow movement of people and goods. The future of our region lies in what is being done here in the EAC headquarters in Arusha,” President Kenyatta said.
The President, who keenly listened to the issues facing EAC staff, said his visit to the headquarters is an indication of his commitment to the integration process.
He told the staff that they are the engine that will take the community and East Africans to their destiny. He pledged to look into the issue of staff growth so that they do don’t stagnate at the time they work at EAC.
EAC Secretary General Richard Sezibera said: “Staff here serve for two terms at horizontal terms and without pension. The budget is growing and the EAC is the most well-funded in Africa.”
He, however, lamented that donors still dominate funding of EAC. In this financial year, for example, the member states have given $32 million (Sh2.75 billion), with donors giving $79.8 million (Sh6.85 billion).
Dr Sezibera said since President Kenyatta was elected, he had shown his commitment to regional integration through projects undertaken by his government .
He cited the building of the Standard gauge railway from Mombasa to Kigali and Bujumbura, saying Kenyans have a right tio expre4ss their view but added that “the railway is an East African affair and our views should also be heard”.
He thanked the President for standing with the EAC and said: “This is the first time a sitting chair of the EAC summit has visited the secretariat and staff.”
