EAC Member States Need to Expedite of the Customs Union- Minister
Rt.Hon Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga (MP) addressing the academia of Kampala International University, Kasanga.
Bishop Samuel
The monetary union holds significant importance but is not advancing as swiftly as it ought to. Nevertheless, it is one of the sectors that, if harmonized, will greatly facilitate the work of our traders. The First Deputy Premier and Minister of East African Community Affairs, Uganda, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga was invited to the IBM Library at Kampala International University, where she addressed the university’s top management, students, lecturers, and stakeholders. The Minister for EAC Uganda, accompanied by the ministry’s technical staff, engaged with the congregation on the objectives and strategic importance of EAC integration, EAC @25 achievements, opportunities, challenges, and the journey ahead as a community.
The 1DPM/Minister for EAC Uganda hinted at what she called the “Elephant in the Room,” which is the Political Federation. She said the plan was to achieve this by 2022, and by 2024 the EAC would have a Political Federation. She blames its slow progress on other partner states who aren’t treating this matter with the speedy attention it deserves.
Under the Customs Union, EAC Intra-Trade performance has grown significantly, with volumes increasing from $9.75 billion in 2020 to $13.77 billion in 2023, making a 41% rise over three years. However, Uganda still has a lot to do because we are ranking 3rd at 15.57%, after the United Republic of Tanzania at 35.54% and Kenya at 20.72%.
On behalf of the university’s top management, the Vice Chancellor, Mohammed Ngoma, highlighted KIU’s commitment to science education and excellence, with over 45,000 students currently admitted at both campuses. He also mentioned the university’s commitment to uplifting the plight of the girl child, with the current Guild President being a living example of this initiative.
students of Kampala International University’s main campus being addressed by Rt. Hon Rebecca Kadaga
Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga holds several portfolios, including being the 2nd Vice Chairperson (Female) of the National Resistance Movement. While addressing a full-capacity hall at the IBM Library Hall of Kampala International University, she informed the congregation of the achievements of academia under the Common Market Protocol. These include the EAC Youth Ambassadors Platform, which annually holds debate competitions with universities within the East African Community, the most recent of which was held in Dar-es-Salaam in 2024. Scholarships and student support offer international scholarships from universities in South Korea, Germany, and EAC-SMS. Additionally, the exchange program for Ugandan lecturers to other countries under the Staff Mobility Program and Student Mobility Scholarship Scheme (EAC-SMS) was mentioned.
The East African Community (EAC) is currently a regional intergovernmental organization comprising eight Partner States: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. The EAC is one of the fastest-growing regional economic blocs in the world, with a combined GDP of approximately $312.9 billion and a population of around 302.2 million. Despite a few bottlenecks in implementing the Customs Union and Common Market Protocol, the East African Community continues to make strides in fostering cooperation among its member states for mutual benefit in political, economic, and social spheres.
The KIU Vice chancellor Mohammed Ngoma (left) receiving EAC materials from Rt. Hon Rebecca KAdaga during the event
In her concluding remarks, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga called upon the Kampala International University academic board to interest postgraduate students and lecturers to undertake research in regional integration matters, which the Speaker Emeritus of the 9th and 10th Parliament of Uganda thinks is still nascent. She believes it needs academic research that will shape the policy and direction of the EAC Integrations Agenda.
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