{The East African Community (EAC) is currently developing a constitution for the proposed political federation, EAC’s Deputy Secretary General Charles Njoroge told Xinhua Thursday. }
The official said the constitution will be reviewed by the five partner states in November.
“The EAC heads of states will provide the way forward during the upcoming summit meeting,” Njoroge said during the third EAC university students debate on regional integration.
He said that there is goodwill among all the partner states, which include Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda and Uganda, on the establishment of the political union.
“The significant cultural similarities will make achievement much easier,” Njoroge said.
According to the EAC, the issue of sovereignty will be the biggest hurdle to overcome.
“All the member states will have to convince their citizens on the benefits of a single EAC state,” he said. The trading bloc has already developed a draft model on how the political federation will be related to the individual states.
The political federation is the last pillar of the integration process. The deputy secretary general said the political unity will be implemented after the completion of the Monetary Union.
“Implementation will most likely occur after 2022,” he said. He noted that the partner states are yet to decide on whether to adopt a parliamentary or presidential system of governance.
Kenya’s EAC Ministry Principal Secretary John Konchellah said a political union will result in greater stability for the region.
“A single political union will also help address the socio- cultural issues that plague the region,” Konchellah said.
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