The Citizen (Dar es Salaam)
28 June 2008
President Museveni on Thursday evening handed over the chairmanship of the East African Community (EAC) to his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame. This was at the ninth EAC Heads of Summit in Kigali.Mr Museveni, quoting Luganda proverbs in his speech, amused delegates when he said, "You do not just let power go just like that. You must have the instruments of power and it is my pleasure now to hand over instruments of power to His Excellency Paul Kagame."
Rwanda's attainment of the chair of the EAC is a landmark in the history of the EAC. The country will be the first to attain the chair only after a year of joining the bloc. Rwanda together with Burundi only joined the EAC in June last year. The two countries are also due to join the EAC Customs Union by 2009. Mr Kagame's first assignment as the chairmanship of the regional body was to receive the report of the Council of EAC Ministers from November 2006 to February 2008. The report was presented by Eriya Kategaya the Chairperson of the council.
In his report Mr Kategaya said that the period under review was focusing mainly on the continued implementation of the Customs Union, the integration of Rwanda and Burundi in the community, negotiation of the common market protocol, laying of a foundation for the Monetary Union and the negotiation of an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union (EU). During the summit the new chair, Mr Kagame also presided over the swearing-in ceremony of the judges that make up the new Court of Justice.
This institution is the judicial body that ensures adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the East African Treaty. Ugandan Joseph Mulenga was sworn in as the President of the EA Court of Justice. Mr. Museveni said that Uganda was proud to have held the EAC chair for the past year.
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