[wanabidii] Re: {UAH} Re: WHY IS KENYA RUSHING INTO THE EAST AFRICAN POLITICAL FEDERATION:

On Sat, Aug 31, 2013 at 3:46 AM, Allan <barigye.rugos@gmail.com> wrote:

Both Kagame are wary of the fact that rebels can form bases in Kenya

On Fri, Aug 30, 2013 at 5:29 PM, Dennis Nnyondo <dluwalagga@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

Since Uhuru Kenyatta became president of Kenya a few months ago, he has already met with the leaders of Rwanda and Kenya at least two times. On both occasions the three leaders (Kagame, Kenyatta and Museveni) have stressed fast tracking (or speeding up) the establishment of the East African political federation above everything else. On both occasions, Burundi and Tanzania have been left out. Does that mean that the East African community is dead and Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda are starting a new institution

 

The idea of the East African federation is not new. It was first floated by the British colonial office after World War II. For different reasons, the governors of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda rejected the idea. In central Africa where a federal government was established with Nyasaland (now Malawi), Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) as members collapsed after ten years of experiment because Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia rejected it principally because it was going to disproportionately benefit the whites in Southern Rhodesia.

 

As the East African territories approached independence, Julius Nyerere who was a stronger believer in pan-Africanism, supported the idea of East African federation as a step towards that end. He was even prepared to delay Tanganyika's independence so that the East African territories form a federation at the time of independence.

 

In 1963, a decision was taken by the three leaders to create a political federation by the end of that year. Uganda (read Buganda) which was afraid of losing its unique status under a white dominated Kenya objected through Obote's cabinet where it had strong ministers and the federation project was shelved.

 

Instead an East African Community was hurriedly established which collapsed ten years later in 1977 because of economic disputes between Kenya and Tanzania and political disputes between Tanzania and Uganda following Amin's overthrow of Obote regime in 1971.

 

The East African community was restored in 1999 with the help of Tanzania principally to diffuse disputes between Kenya and Uganda. At the recommendation of Uganda Burundi and Rwanda were admitted into the community. The main purpose was to promote economic integration that would facilitate trade and mobility of the factors of production including people.

 

Shortly after that, Uganda added East African political federation and demanded that it should be fast tracked ahead of economic integration, resembling building a house starting with the roof. The most senior president would become the first president of the East African federation and that would be Museveni.  Rwanda bought the idea.

Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania hesitated. Kenya was particularly interested in acceleration of economic integration and some senior Kenyans expressed strong reservations about the political federation.

 

With Kenyatta as president, political federation has become the number one priority in the East African community. It appears that Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda are eager to do it without Burundi which is wisely focusing on putting its house in order first and Tanzania that has not shown much interest in the project.

 

For Rwanda and Uganda that have been pushing the creation of Tutsi Empire, one can understand the rush for the East African political federation. But for Kenya, it is puzzling, to say the least. We don't know what is in Kenyatta's mind and what he hopes to gain for himself and for Kenyans out of this rushed project with Rwanda and Uganda. There must be something that is pushing Kenyatta into the camp of Kagame and Museveni. There could be some deals we are not aware of. We should therefore make sure that the people in the three countries don't suffer adverse consequences.  

What is interesting is that Uganda that vehemently opposed the East African federation is now leading the negotiations for its creation and Tanzania that was the champion is out of the game. Is Buganda which opposed the federation now happy about what is happening or it does not have power to challenge what Museveni is doing?

 

UDU has stated clearly that a political federation should be preceded by economic integration which itself should be implemented step by step without setting conditions in advance.

 

As this East African political federation project concerns every East African, we all need to find out what is behind this rush and especially what Kenyatta and Kenyans stand to gain. We also need to remember that Rwanda and Uganda have called for abolition of national boundaries to form a new entity. The name has not been suggested yet. It would not surprise us if Kagame and Museveni suggest Tutsi Empire as the new name. Kagame and Museveni are military generals which Kenyatta is not who may use force to get what they want. As they say crickets don't fly with locusts. President Kenyatta you may be in the wrong camp – just a suggestion. Are we ready for all this?

 

Kenyans especially beware and draw lessons from what people in Rwanda and Uganda are going through under Kagame and Museveni military governments. It could happen to you if you allow Kenyatta to rush into the East African political federation with Museveni as president, Kagame as vice president and minister of defense, Salim Saleh as minister of internal affairs, Kutesa as minister of foreign affairs and Janet Museveni as minister of finance. Museveni as president would justify the choices as based on individual merit and would treat complaints as sectarianism not tolerated in his government.

 

Eric- UDU Secretary General.

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