ARUSHA: THE East African Community (EAC) is set to resume national consultations on the drafting of the Constitution for the proposed East African Political Confederation through a stakeholder engagement exercise in Rwanda.
According to a statement issued by the EAC Headquarters in Arusha over the weekend, the consultations will be officially launched in Kigali today, before moving to the districts of Rubavu, Huye and Nyagatare.
The exercise is expected to conclude on June 27th this year. The EAC said the consultations form part of ongoing efforts to involve citizens and key stakeholders in shaping the future governance framework of the Community and advancing the region’s political integration agenda.
The exercise will bring together a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, parliamentarians, members of the judiciary, civil society organisations, academics, business leaders, youth, women, persons with disabilities, religious leaders, media practitioners and political parties.
Participants will be invited to share their views on the proposed Constitution for the EAC Political Confederation.
The consultations will be conducted by constitutional experts nominated by EAC Partner States and coordinated by the EAC Secretariat in collaboration with the Government of Rwanda.
Speaking ahead of the exercise, EAC Deputy Secretary General for Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors, Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, said the process aims to ensure that the proposed Constitution reflects the aspirations and expectations of East Africans.
He said the consultations are intended to raise public awareness about the constitution making process, provide citizens with an opportunity to contribute their views and ensure that the proposed Constitution is people centred and widely owned by East Africans.
“We want to ensure that citizens’ voices are heard and taken into account in developing a constitution that will lay the foundation for the East African Political Confederation,” he said.
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The EAC Secretariat has called on stakeholders across Rwanda to actively participate in the consultations and contribute ideas that will help shape the governance framework of the proposed Confederation.
According to the EAC, the Political Confederation is a transitional stage towards the ultimate goal of establishing a Political Federation of East African States.
It represents the fourth and final pillar of regional integration, following the Customs Union, Common Market and Monetary Union.
The confederation model was adopted by the EAC Heads of State Summit in May 2017 as a framework for deepening political integration while preparing Partner States for eventual federation.
The constitution-making process is being guided by a team of experts appointed by the Summit in February 2018 and chaired by retired Chief Justice of Uganda, Benjamin Odoki. Former Kenyan Attorney General Amos Wako serves as deputy chairperson.
The proposed Confederation is expected to strengthen cooperation among Partner States in key areas, including political affairs, peace and security, foreign policy coordination and regional governance, while laying the groundwork for a future Political Federation.
The Rwanda consultations are part of a broader regional process being conducted across EAC Partner States to gather citizens’ views and build consensus on the governance structures and institutional arrangements of the proposed Political Confederation.