Tanzania still opposed to East African political fast tracking

The 3rd meeting of the 2nd session of the East African Legislative Assembly has opened in the Capital Kampala with Tanzania reaffirming her commitment to the common market despite three fundamental issues that remain unanswered.

An earlier view of heads of state on the fast tracking of a political federation has been changed. Now the member states have agreed to fast track a common market that will ultimately lead to a political federation.

Though the principle of a political federation has been agreed by all member states, Tanzania has got issues that may slow down this proposed fast tracking of a common market unless they are resolved.

The Tanzanian Deputy Minister for EAC Affairs Mohammed Aboud argues that his government’s position on the issue of land is that land should remain under the control of national laws instead of being part of the issues under a common market.

Tanzania is also opposed to the idea of having one national ID in EAC, preferring the use of traditional travel documents of a national passport and an EAC passport.

The issue of consensus versus majority in decision making if one partner state is pulling the others back seems not to apply in this circumstance of Tanzania.

But the Speaker of the East African legislative Assembly Abdirahin Abdi would love to see all member states moving at the same pace. EALA is the legislative arm of the EAC which came into being on the 29th Nov 2001.

Since its inception on 5th June 2007, the 2nd EALA has debated and passed among others the Lake Victoria Transport bill, the EAC joint Trade Negotiations bill, the Inter University council for East Africa bill to mention but a few.

During their two weeks meeting in Kampala, EALA will enact important legislation to deepen and widen the EAC integration process as well as interact with the citizens of Uganda and particularly Ugandan MPs to share experiences on important parliamentary and regional affairs.