Appeal for diplomatic status for EAC officials

By Zephania Ubwani

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Arusha. Repeated pleas are being made for senior officials of the East African Community (EAC) to be granted diplomatic status.

The regional MPs are also rooting for harmonisation of the same among seniors in the service of the EAC organs and institutions.
“It is better for the bloc to fast-track the harmonisation process,” said Ms Pamela Maasay, an East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) member from Tanzania.
She insisted time has come for senior staff of EAC and affiliated bodies to enjoy diplomatic immunities and privileges “if they deserved”.
Ms Maasay was among the MPs who debated a report by the Eala Committee on Legal, Rules and Privileges when it was tabled last week.
The report followed an oversight activity by Eala members to assess the status, privileges and immunities of the EAC organs and institutions.
She insisted that absence of such immunities and privileges was a setback for the staff of the EAC bodies “in the diplomatic status circle”.
Victor Burikukiye (Burundi) said absence of the service was a sign of ambiguity and double standards when it comes to treatment of the EAC personnel.
Currently, he said, there was no uniformity in such privileges for EAC staff working for different bodies at different stations.
Nevertheless, the House was told that all the six EAC partner states  have ratified the EAC Protocol on Privileges and Immunities.
Burundi was the last country to ratify the protocol early this month.
Its objective is to standardise the status, privileges and immunities to be accorded by partner states to the assets of the bloc “wherever” they are situated in partner states.
The protocol is intended for the persons in the service of the EAC which include the three organs and nine semi-autonomous institutions.
MP Jean Claude Barimuyabo (Rwanda) regretted that although the law on privileges and immunities for the EAC staff was passed in 2004, it has not been enforced.
The acting Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Mr Ezechiel Nibigira, acknowledged the gaps and discrepancies and stressed the need to address the drawback.
The matter was raised in the House only weeks after the East African Business Council (EABC) requested a diplomatic status.
The apex body of private sector associations, which is based in Arusha, says without the status by the Tanzania authorities, it has been denied a tax waiver.
EABC has an observer status to the EAC.