Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT |
NATION MEDIA GROUP
Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro on Tuesday urged the East African region to speed up plans to form a political federation.
Mr Ethuro said this would help tackle entrenched negative ethnicity that has slowed down development in the region.
He
called on the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) member states to
fast track the political federation, which is one of the objectives for
regional integration.
The federation, Mr Ethuro said,
would provide solutions for problems brought about by populous tribes
dominating and determining the political agenda.
“Once
we have a federation, no ethnic group would have dominance over other
members in the region,” Mr Ethuro said when he addressed the third Eala
in the Senate, Nairobi.
The Speaker said member states
of the East African Community (EAC) have made significant strides
towards the realisation of a Customs Union and a Common Market.
MONETARY UNION
He said plans for a monetary union are on course.
Mr
Ethuro urged EAC members to ensure the success of a Common Market after
five states Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda ratified the
Protocol on July 1, 2010.
The market seeks free movement of goods, labour, services and capital.
“While this Protocol came into force over five years ago, the people are not enjoying the benefits,” he said.
The Speaker also said it is important to conduct civic education to create awareness about Eala’s activities.
“The
assembly is misconceived as an elitist club that does not mean much to
the people it is supposed to serve,” said Mr Ethuro.
He
also said the EAC Treaty should be amended to emphasise the value of
public participation that would allow citizens to play a more active
role in the management of the affairs of the region.
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