Politics

Push for East African confederation strengthens as Kenya digs in

Published

4 months ago

June 3, 2023

The clamour for an East African confederation might be coming through soon as Kenya, a regional powerhouse, has reiterated its commitment to its realization.

Kenya’s President, William Ruto, had pledged $1 million to help speed up the process for the drafting of the constitution and have it available by the end of 2024.

“We should work together and collapse all the boundaries for the sake of integration.

“East Africans want to live together and do business regardless of national boundaries. The EAC partner states should therefore endeavour to catch up with them and factualise the political confederation as fast as possible,” said President Ruto.

Consultations were launched in Mombasa last month by the Committee of Constitutional Experts for Drafting the EAC Political Federation Constitution spearheaded by a regional team of law experts, led by former Ugandan Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, and former attorney general, Amos Wako.

Wako, in an interview, revealed that “when we listened to their views, there was nobody who was opposed to greater political social and economic integration. They were all supporting of a political confederation. They were all supportive to the confederation. In fact, some were saying we should not waste too much time on the confederation. We should just go straight to a federation.”

It is reported that Kenyans want an EAC that would be led by a commission similar to that of the European Union, rather than a secretariat. Others wanted the EAC to proceed to a political federation.

On his part, Justice Odoki noted that political federation required an organization where there would be a centre of authority among independent institutions to strengthen direction of control at the top. “Basically, that is what we are looking at but not in the form in which we weren’t selected to be”, he said.

An East African confederation would be a political arrangement where the federal government (the EAC) would be accountable to the member states— the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda

Politics

‘Big Brother’ Uganda to mediate between Somalia and Somaliland

Published

6 hours ago

September 24, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Uganda has revealed plans to play mediating role between its neighbour, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somaliland following the over three decade split between the countries.

According to a statement from the Ugandan government, President Yoweri Museveni decided to accept the position during a visit by Jama Musse Jama, a special representative from Somaliland, on Friday.

“President Museveni agreed to be the unification facilitator between Somaliland and Somalia,” it said.

Somalia and Somaliland are both inhabited basically by Somalis— with small Oromo minorities in both, and a large Swahili minority in the latter, as well as shared dominant religion and social values.

“We don’t support secession because strategically, it is wrong,” Museveni was quoted in the statement as telling the envoy.

Although Somaliland split apart from Somalia in 1991, its independence has not been widely acknowledged internationally. While Somalia has been embroiled in civil war, it has largely been quiet.

Reunification could improve the Horn of Africa nation’s ability to confront problems, such as an uprising by Islamist group, Al Shabaab.

Politics

Kenya’s Ruto wants global support for Haiti

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2023

Ifeoluwa Dada

Kenya’s President William Ruto wants the United Nations Security Council to officially support the mission to the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti.

Kenya, an East African powerhouse, is active in Haiti, and recently announced it was ready to be part of a multinational force. It committed to deploy 1,000 police officers to the country and “accepted to positively consider leading a Multi-National Force to Haiti.”

Ruto, during his address, insisted that the Caribbean country “deserves better from the world.” “Kenya is ready to play its part in full, and join with a coalition of other nations of goodwill – and there are many— as a great friend and true sibling of Haiti,” Ruto said while addressing world leaders.

Haiti begged for assistance last year to fight off vicious gangs that had largely taken over the city of Port-au-Prince.

According to diplomats, the council might vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution endorsing the deployment of international police as early as next week.

U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Peacekeeping troops left in 2017 and were replaced by U.N. police, which left in 2019.

Haiti has been without any elected representatives since January and countries across the world have been cautious about supporting the unelected administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry who has argued that fair elections cannot be held with the current insecurity.

Violent crimes, including kidnappings for ransom, armed robberies, and carjacking are prevalent in the country.