Kampala — THE Government yesterday ordered all ministry officials to release their vehicles for the upcoming first tripartite summit of East, Central and Southern Africa or risk having them impounded.

Steven Candia reports that the directive by the Minister for East African Affairs, Eriya Kategaya, was contained in a letter issued yesterday.

The ultimatum followed a meeting, chaired by Kategaya during which it was revealed that of the 288 vehicles requested for, only 71 had been released.

"In view of the importance of the summit, and given the short period remaining before the function, the meeting recommended impounding of Government vehicles as a last resort to save the country's image," the letter read.

The leaders from the three regional economic communities will assemble at the Speke Resort Munyonyo for the tripartite summit which will run from October 18-23.

The summit, which has the vision of forging a single market, will focus on cross-cutting issues that affect the three regional economic communities.

Member states of COMESA-EAC-SADC are: Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia.

Others are Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Egypt, Comoros, Libya and Sudan.

The main challenge facing the COMESA, EAC and SADC in the implementation of their integration programmes and the overlapping membership.