The East African Federation is a proposed political union of the five sovereign states of the East African Community – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda – as a single federated sovereign state.
As of 2014, the five states expressed support for the union, but negotiations continue concerning issues such as the extent of members’ sovereignty and timing of implementation.
President Yoweri Museveni has long advocated the fast-tracking of the political federation, insisting that the region should not only be an economic community, but also a political one.
March 2015, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda renewed their push to fast-track the East African Community Political Federation Protocol under the Northern Corridor Infrastructure Projects initiative.
This was after failed agreement on the proposed federation model for the presidents to adopt thus requested more time to consult on the report compiled by experts on the drafting of a constitution for the federation and the timelines for implementation were to be 2016.
Updates on this bid have been off media until yesterday morning on a live broadcast of Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) where President Museveni, as reported defended his long stay in power and campaign to extend his 30-year presidency for another five years, saying he needs to help East African countries achieve a federation.
The president views this federation as a mass of strength that can guarantee the country’s future.
“I am here to see whether we can help you get the East African federation so that we have a critical mass of strength that can guarantee your future, our future and our children’s future…,” Mr Museveni said via a live link from Nakasero State Lodge in Kampala.
“A Political Federation as the final phase in our regional integration is a stage we can’t wait to witness. Here we will have a single president for the region with strict adherence to term limits and upholding the rule of law. I envision an EAC where there is developed infrastructure with better roads, improved health services with fully equipped regional referrals to help curb flying medical cases to Asia and the West,” says teacher, author and also a project director Afrika Mashariki Fest and Director Tendo Grill Ltd Ronex Kisembo
Disregarding claims that he seeks to retain the presidential position so as to survive; he perceives the merger as an open door to elevated economic and political growth rate against affluent superpowers that include Britain, China and India.
“He said a single sovereign state of East Africa, which will include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania, is his target and must be achieved.” Reported the Daily Monitor.
For Ugandans, local businessmen are still skeptical. They argue that the EAC’s dream of federation could be botched by a trade row, tribal violence or strangled at birth with red tape by venal politicians and bureaucrats. So the mood is mixed.
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Photo [Reuters ] – H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda
