President Jakaya Kikwete
The contribution was announced by President when launching the
Kiswahili version of the Basic Facts Booklet of the Court at its
premises in Arusha, during a visit to bid farewell to the judges and
staff last Thursday.
Tanzania is the first AU member state to contribute towards the Scheme.
He said that the contribution was to support the work of the Court
which has recorded tremendous achievements in just a decade of its
existence.
"It has lived up to its mandate and to the satisfaction of the (AU) member states," he said.
Kikwete is stepping down next month after serving the
constitutional two fixed five year terms as the President of his
country.
The President of the Court Hon Justice Augustino Ramadhani
appreciated Tanzania's generous contribution, saying that it would go a
long way in justice delivery.
The East African Community was revived on November 30, 1999, when
the Treaty for its re-establishment was signed. It came into force on 7
July 2000, 23 years after the total collapse of the defunct Community
and its organs.
This followed a process of re-integration which was embarked on in
1993, and which involved tripartite programmes of co-operation in
political, economic, social and cultural fields, research and
technology, defense, security, legal and judicial affairs.
It is hoped that the framework provided for under the Treaty will
foster regional peace and security, while providing an appropriate
response for economic development and competitiveness in light of
globalisation of trade and transnational corporations.
The East African Court of Justice (the Court), is one of the organs
of the East African Community established under Article 9 of the Treaty
for the Establishment of the East African Community.
The defunct East African Court of Appeal was a court of appeal from
decisions of the National Courts on both civil and criminal matters
except constitutional matters and the offence of treason for Tanzania.
The East African Court of Justice is different in composition and
jurisdiction. It is an international court unlike the defunct East
African Court of Appeal which handled only appeals from national courts.
The Court’s major responsibility is to ensure the adherence to law
in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the Treaty.
Following its inauguration by the Summit and the swearing in of
Judges and the Registrar on 30th November 2001, the East African Court
of Justice became operational. The operations of the Court during the
transitional period are ad hoc until the Council of Ministers determines
that there is enough business to make it full operational.
This means that judges are not required to permanently reside in
Arusha where the temporary seat of the Court is located but they only
convene to conduct the business of the Court when the need to do so
arises.
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