{{Heads of media businesses in the East African Community (EAC) have raised concern over the low awareness of the regional integration among citizens.}}
They said majority of EAC citizens, including the media, are not aware of the implications of the integration because they have been excluded from deliberations regarding the process.
The media heads were meeting in Kampala yesterday to collect ideas to engage heads of state in the EAC member states during their summit in November.
“All the time these meetings are going on, we are just standing at the balcony waiting for press releases or communiqué’s to write stories. When are we going to be part of the meetings?” asked Mr Robert Kabushenga, the interim chairman of the East African Media Summit, adding that they need meaningful engagements with the heads of state.
Mr Alex Asiimwe, the Monitor Publications Chief Executive Officer, said the media is the bridge between integration and the population and its exclusion from the processes has created an awareness gap at the grassroots.
“We should be raising awareness as far as legislation is concerned, free movement of labour and goods. We should look at the role the media played in other blocs like European Union,” Mr Asiimwe said.
East African Media Summit is an initiative by the East African Community secretariat to engage in an annual forum with media moguls, chief executive officers and media executives to discuss integration issues.
The one-day meeting was expected to generate content to be presented at the heads of state summit.
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