TANZANIA monitoring EAC situation

Tanzania's decision to remain a member of the East African Community (EAC) or quit will depend on the resolutions of the Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for mid-next month in Arusha.

This was announced by the East African Cooperation Minister Samwel Sitta in the National Assembly here yesterday, who said that the government had instructed all responsible authorities not to participate in matters initiated by the governments of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.

The Minister’s clarification followed concerns raised by a cross section of legislators during the question and answer session in the House yesterday.

Rukia Ahmed (Special Seats, CUF), Hamad Rashid (Wawi, CUF) Anne Kilango Malecela (Same-East, CCM) and Captain John Komba (Mbiga-West, CCM) had questioned the rationale of Tanzania remaining in the EAC in light of actions which clearly sidelined it.

Captain Komba for his part asked why Tanzania did not unite with Burundi and DR Congo since the three governments of Rwanda, Uganda and Kenya had teamed up and set up an alliance within the community.

For his part Rashid said there was no need for the government to wait for evidence and instead should look for alternatives.

He said Kenya for example had so far entered into agreement with Ethiopia and South Sudan and therefore it was high time that Tanzania withdrew from the integration.
Sitta responded: “All matters that are being discussed and agreed contrary to the community regulations will only be valid for those governments that participated in such unofficial meetings.”

He cited a meeting that was conducted in Nairobi last Tuesday where Foreign Affairs and International Relations Minister Bernard Membe was invited, but did not attend.
“I have also instructed my deputy Dr Abdulla Saadalla not to participate in the meeting set to take place in Burundi.

The ministry’s permanent secretary has also been advised not to give any decision on behalf of the government in meetings where the three governments already have their own stand,” he said.

“The government is not quiet on this matter,” he said, stressing: “It is irritating to see our partners sidelining us, but at the end we will know their true intentions.”

Minister Sitta said Tanzania which made up 52 percent of the entire region’s territory was optimistic that the challenges that the EAC was facing will be solved.
He told parliamentarians that if things got worse, the government would not hesitate to bring the matter before the parliament for further decision.

“What is needed is for member states to sit down and address these challenges in order to strengthen the integration,” he said adding: “Tanzania will always defend its interests in the region.”