The East African Community is on track. Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda are now truly fast tracking regional development through infrastructure, trade and economic integration. The three countries, and now South Sudan, all use the northern corridor transport system, one of the two main supply routes in this part of the world, the other one being the central corridor. While countries along the northern corridor access markets and supplies through the Mombasa port in Kenya, the central corridor connects to Tanzania’s port of Dar es Salaam. Besides the Treaty establishing the EAC allows two or more partner states to push ahead with the integration agenda between themselves provided that the overall objective is to further the integration cause. Yet no doubt that the good that will come out of this fresh bid will, in one way or another, benefit Burundi and Tanzania, whether they officially join this initiative or not. Benefits of this renewed integration process will actually reach even non-EAC territories such as eastern DR Congo. The South Sudanese have come onboard already and that is good news because it will only make us stronger. After all, the objective is to improve the living conditions of the people of this region. The construction and development of the Mombasa-Kampala-Kigali railway is on course, while an oil pipeline and single tourist visa are in the offing. Uganda will now waive work permit fees, just like Kenya and Rwanda, and the citizens will now be able to use their national identity cards to cross the respective countries borders. Plans for a railway line, as well as the waivers on visas and work permits is great news for the people of this region. And it will be just a matter of time before Burundi and Tanzania join in. The vision is as clear as the road has, for a while now, been mapped. No matter what one says or thinks, the East Africans have – as the English playwright William Shakespeare once memorably extolled the exploits of Roman King, Julius Caesar and his marching legions – crossed the Rubicon. If developments over the last four months or so are anything to go by, the EAC integration train is truly on the move, no turning back. Indeed, the three EAC countries’ partnership can only propel this region forward, in terms of infrastructure, trade and social welfare. Advantages of the Integration Projects are enormous. Transit time for containers from Mombasa to Kampala and Kigali has reduced from 18 days to five and from 22 days to eight, respectively, and the cost of transporting a 20-foot container from Mombasa to Kigali is expected to drop by half due to increased efficiency. But who is to say that greater prosperity will not seep into our neighbours as citizen entrepreneurship soars and the market burgeons? The point is, that three EAC countries have chosen to spearhead trade and regional integration cannot be any different than one of the countries going on to become the first African country to facilitate discount of airfare. We all look to one another. Rather than sit on the fence, the other countries should jump on the bus and partake in the process to truly transform East Africa. Where I come from we have a saying that one hand “greets” the other. Let’s harbour no grudges. The writer is a commentator on Rwandan and regional affairs. Twitter: @gituram
