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The Observer - Here is why Tanzania is a cold EAC member
[h=1]Here is why Tanzania is a cold EAC member[/h]
Guest Writers
Thursday, 14 November 2013 21:24
Written by CHARLES KAZOOBA 1 Comments
The media, all over East Africa, has been awash with press reports of disagreements between the five EAC member states with three of themKenya, Uganda and Rwandatoeing a progressive line by deciding to fast-track the integration process in preparation for a political federation. The other two, Tanzania and Burundi, have, meanwhile, been left by the roadside as observers, to the chagrin of Tanzanians, who host the EAC headquarters in Arusha. Three fundamental decisions, made in the past in Arusha, should, however, make us understand the origin of the rift and whether on November 30, the summit sitting in Kampala will be made up of all the five heads of state. Around 2004, a survey was carried out amongst the EAC member states to determine the progress of the integration process. Fast-tracking the formation of a union government for the EAC was one of those issues consulted about. It is only the Tanzanians that overwhelmingly embraced the idea of a political federation compared to other member states. But when it came to the issue of fast-tracking the federation, the Tanzanians surprisingly shied away. Tanzanians reasoned, rather boldly, that they were suspicious of Kenyans and Ugandans, who could allegedly grab their land in a federal state. After that, Tanzania was seen as a cold member of the family, which created cracks within the EAC. Another incident that fuelled bad blood between Tanzania and the other member states was a court case involving John D. Lamba, a Tanzanian businessman, who sued the East African Development Bank (EADB) and attempted to attach the banks assets to recover $137m, an amount that exceeded EADBs capital base. Mr Lambas Blueline transport firm sued EADB, an institution of the EAC, in 1997 after the bank put his business under receivership for failing to pay the remaining $1.5 million of a $2.3 million loan, extended to him in 1990. When the Tanzanian court of Appeal cleared Lamba to attach the banks assets, a diplomatic and legal crisis arose within the community. Fortunately, the case was later dismissed after the intervention of the heads of state of the EAC. However, treachery was all over the face of Tanzanians. In another case, Timothy Alvin Kahoho, a Tanzanian journalist, sued the EAC secretary general for deciding to embark on the political federation without consulting the people. The journalist, basing on late Mwalimu Julius Nyereres popular quote No person has the right to say, I am the people, argued that a federation had to be determined through a referendum. Kahoho also asked court to rescind the summit decision granting the community employees diplomatic immunity. In essence, Kahoho wanted the staff and politicians in the community to only acquire diplomatic immunity after negotiating with Tanzania in respect to sovereignty. Those decisions, coupled with Tanzanias latest role in the DRC as the lead contingent of the new, aggressive UN force intervention brigade, forced the other EAC member states to take very radical measures. The ruling in Kahohos case allowed the majority of member states to legally decide on fundamental issues in the community under the principle of variable geometry. In the past it was by consensusall member states had to reach a common position. And this gave birth to the coalition of the willing by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, whose leaders in three meetings so far have agreed on more fundamental development projects to drive the integration process forward. But fortunately, President Jakaya Kikwete has insisted Tanzania is not about to pull out of the EAC. This means Tanzanian has conceded that the EAC is a market they cannot afford to lose.
[h=1]Here is why Tanzania is a cold EAC member[/h]
Guest Writers
Thursday, 14 November 2013 21:24
Written by CHARLES KAZOOBA 1 Comments
The media, all over East Africa, has been awash with press reports of disagreements between the five EAC member states with three of themKenya, Uganda and Rwandatoeing a progressive line by deciding to fast-track the integration process in preparation for a political federation. The other two, Tanzania and Burundi, have, meanwhile, been left by the roadside as observers, to the chagrin of Tanzanians, who host the EAC headquarters in Arusha. Three fundamental decisions, made in the past in Arusha, should, however, make us understand the origin of the rift and whether on November 30, the summit sitting in Kampala will be made up of all the five heads of state. Around 2004, a survey was carried out amongst the EAC member states to determine the progress of the integration process. Fast-tracking the formation of a union government for the EAC was one of those issues consulted about. It is only the Tanzanians that overwhelmingly embraced the idea of a political federation compared to other member states. But when it came to the issue of fast-tracking the federation, the Tanzanians surprisingly shied away. Tanzanians reasoned, rather boldly, that they were suspicious of Kenyans and Ugandans, who could allegedly grab their land in a federal state. After that, Tanzania was seen as a cold member of the family, which created cracks within the EAC. Another incident that fuelled bad blood between Tanzania and the other member states was a court case involving John D. Lamba, a Tanzanian businessman, who sued the East African Development Bank (EADB) and attempted to attach the banks assets to recover $137m, an amount that exceeded EADBs capital base. Mr Lambas Blueline transport firm sued EADB, an institution of the EAC, in 1997 after the bank put his business under receivership for failing to pay the remaining $1.5 million of a $2.3 million loan, extended to him in 1990. When the Tanzanian court of Appeal cleared Lamba to attach the banks assets, a diplomatic and legal crisis arose within the community. Fortunately, the case was later dismissed after the intervention of the heads of state of the EAC. However, treachery was all over the face of Tanzanians. In another case, Timothy Alvin Kahoho, a Tanzanian journalist, sued the EAC secretary general for deciding to embark on the political federation without consulting the people. The journalist, basing on late Mwalimu Julius Nyereres popular quote No person has the right to say, I am the people, argued that a federation had to be determined through a referendum. Kahoho also asked court to rescind the summit decision granting the community employees diplomatic immunity. In essence, Kahoho wanted the staff and politicians in the community to only acquire diplomatic immunity after negotiating with Tanzania in respect to sovereignty. Those decisions, coupled with Tanzanias latest role in the DRC as the lead contingent of the new, aggressive UN force intervention brigade, forced the other EAC member states to take very radical measures. The ruling in Kahohos case allowed the majority of member states to legally decide on fundamental issues in the community under the principle of variable geometry. In the past it was by consensusall member states had to reach a common position. And this gave birth to the coalition of the willing by Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, whose leaders in three meetings so far have agreed on more fundamental development projects to drive the integration process forward. But fortunately, President Jakaya Kikwete has insisted Tanzania is not about to pull out of the EAC. This means Tanzanian has conceded that the EAC is a market they cannot afford to lose.
