Consultations on EAC federation begin soon

The national consultative committee (NCC) on the fast tracking of the East Africa Community (EAC) political federation will soon distribute questionnaires to Rwandans to offer their opinions. According to Anastase Shyaka, the NCC chairperson, the process will begin in two weeks’ time and will cover all the 30 districts in the country. “Preparations are going on. We want to hear from Rwandans on what they think about political federation and whether they are for or against its fast tracking,” Shyaka said by telephone yesterday. NCC in conjunction with the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) will carry out the exercise, which will also primarily seek views on the customs union, the common market and the monetary union. Meanwhile, in a meeting with the press last week, NCC officials said that a sampling survey carried out in two sectors of each of the 30 districts shows that some Rwandans already have an idea on integration. Gaston Rusiha, a committee member said that explanations had been given to respondents who were concerned about imbalances in industrial capacities, permanent settlement in member states and the use of one currency. Rusiha explained that Rwanda will take to the EAC several of its home-grown values like effective conflict resolution mechanisms, and its culture of cleanliness and security. “Rwanda has been distinguished for its integration of women in the reconstruction process and its fight against gender-based violence. Rwanda is the only country in the world that can count 48% of women MPs in the national parliament. Member states can borrow a leaf from this,” he said. Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania presented their reports on the fast tracking of the political federation to the EAC Secretariat in August last year. Ends