By: Ismael Kasooha

MUNYONYO

Local government leaders from the East African Community (EAC) countries are demanding for a special representation at the Arusha Based regional bloc.

The East African Community is a people centered economic bloc but the Local government leaders feel, they were left out of the decision-making bodies.

Raphael Magyezi, the Local government Minister for Uganda while delivering his remarks at Speke Resort and Conference center Munyonyo on Tuesday said that Local Governments, which are the fulcrum of service delivery in all the member countries, have no representation in the bloc.

Magyezi, who took up chairmanship of the EAC Local Government Association from Tanzania, called on his counterparts from the region to demand for a special representation at the Arusha Based region bloc.

The Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah (left) being welcomed at Speke Resort and Conference Center Munyonyo by the Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi (2nd left), Victoria Rusoke State for Local Government (3rd left) and other officials

“This is the right time for Local Governments to have representation at the EAC bloc because the Local Governments are more versed with challenges that impede service delivery to the communities. It’s unfair not to have representation at this regional bloc,” said Magyezi.

The call was made during the East African Local Government forum meeting opened by the Prime Minister of Uganda Robinah Nabbanja in Kampala who represented the Vice President of Uganda Jessica Alupo.

The 8th East Africa Local Governments forum is hosting delegates from Kenya, Tanzania Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, DRC, Somalia and Uganda the hosts.

The Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja assured the regional local government leaders that the Government of Uganda will render the necessary support to the association to ensure there is harmonized service delivery in the region.

“As the Government of Uganda, we shall accord you all the support you need for the good of this association because you are the grassroots serving people,” said Nabbanja.

Addressing the forum, the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja called on Local Government leaders from the regional economic bloc to mobilize communities to take advantage of the EAC regional bloc to foster the integration agenda.

“Let us encourage our communities to take advantage of the regional economic bloc and do trade because of the market opportunities available,” said Nabbanja.

She said that President Yoweri Museveni has embarked on inter-connectivity of the region and also reducing the cost of power to reduce the cost of doing business in the region.

“Infrastructure is pivotal in the development of the any region that is the reason our president is promoting the opening up of roads in the neighboring countries,” said Nabbanja.

Dr. Festo Rugange who represented the Minister of State for Regional Administration and Local Government in the Office of the President in Tanzania Mohammed Mchengerwa pledged to support all the recommendations of the Kampala meeting.

The Governor of Nyeri County in Kenya Mutahi Kahiga, expressed concern that the Central Governments have not allowed the Local Governments to exercise their rights, yet they are key in service delivery.

“I fully support the notion of Devolution because it aids serving the communities. We should empower more the Local Governments because they know the challenges the people are facing,” said Mutahi.

The EAC is home to an estimated 302.2 million citizens, of which over 30% is urban population. With a land area of 5.4 million square kilometers and a combined Gross Domestic Product of US$ 312.9 billion, its realization bears great strategic and geopolitical significance and prospects for the renewed and reinvigorated EAC.

The work of the EAC is guided by its Treaty which established the Community. It was signed on 30 November, 1999 and entered into force on 7 July, 2000 following its ratification by the original three Partner States – Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

The Republic of Rwanda and the Republic of Burundi acceded to the EAC Treaty on 18 June, 2007 and became full Members of the Community with effect from 1 July, 2007.

The Republic of South Sudan acceded to the Treaty on 15 April, 2016 and become a full Member on 15 August, 2016, while the Democratic Republic of the Congo acceded to the EAC Treaty on 8 April, 2022 and became a full member on 11 July, 2022.

The Federal Republic of Somalia acceded to the EAC Treaty on 15 December, 2023, and became a full member on 4 March, 2024.

As one of the fastest growing regional economic blocs in the world, the EAC is widening and deepening co-operation among the Partner States in various key spheres for their mutual benefit. These spheres include political, economic and social.

At the moment, the regional integration process is in full swing as reflected by the encouraging progress of the East African Customs Union, the establishment of the Common Market in 2010 and the implementation of the East African Monetary Union Protocol.

Nabbanja was welcomed by the Local Government Minister Raphael Magyezi and State Minister for Local Government, Victoria Rusoke Businge.

END