EAC future at stake as Rwanda, South Sudan boycotts Speakers meeting in Kampala

Speaker Kadaga: EAC faces stagnation at the integration as Rwanda, South Sudan boycotts the 13th Bureau of Speakers meeting held in Kampala

Rwanda and South Sudan boycotted the 13th meeting of the Bureau of Speakers of East African Community (EAC) held in Kampala on Tuesday 10th, December 2019, at Serena Hotel.

The Bureau of Speakers of East African Community is one of the organs of the community comprising of the Speakers and Deputy Speakers of all countries in the EAC.

Currently, the Bureau of Speakers of EAC is chaired by Rt Hon Justin Muturi, the Speaker of Parliament of Kenya who assumed leadership on Tuesday, 10, December 2019.

As a result, the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda, Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga expressed fears saying the 20-year-old East Africa Community may experience stagnation at the integration of member states continue to absent themselves from the mandated annual subscription.

“The 20 years are coming with challenges, the burden of contribution to the community has been left mainly to Uganda and Kenya, and this is hampering work,” Kadaga said.

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She, however, called upon her counterparts to task their ministers concerned to make sure that the East African Community mandate is observed by every member state.

The EAC Speakers of Parliament expressed total dismay at Rwanda and South Sudan for their poor response towards the community’s activities that include; the East African Parliamentary games.

Particularly Rwanda that has absconded two consecutive games that includes CECAFA without clear reasons.

“I have not received an explanation on why Rwanda has not participated in the games, they didn’t even participate in the games we had in Burundi in 2018, they are neither part of CECAFA,” said Kadaga.

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Kadaga adds that South Sudan as well did not explain why it missed the Bureau of Speaker’s meeting.

But for the case of South Sudan, according to Rt Hon Pascal Nyabenda, the Burundi Speaker, South Sudan’s absence could be connected to the abrupt resignation of the Speaker of South Sudan’s Transitional Legislative Assembly, Anthony Lino Makana.

Makana was forced to resign by his party members on Sunday 8th, December 2019, during a meeting of ruling Sudan’s People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) caucus.

At the meeting, Makana was accused of allegedly embezzling funds, and approving a $400 million loan from Afrexim Bank without bringing it first to the house as required by law.

Also, it could be because of the previous accusations Rwanda and South Sudan made against Uganda, saying it supports and hosts rebel group opposed to the two countries governments.

Relatedly, Dr Tulia Ackson, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament of Tanzania implored her counterparts to draw strategies aimed at helping member states that have poor performing economies.

Ackson adds that if EAC doesn’t work upon the factors that are draining the integration such as regional imbalances, the integration will not perform to its expectations.

The 13th meeting of the Bureau of Speakers of the EAC was attended by speakers from Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, the East African Legislative Assembly and Uganda.