IGIHE

Tag: GreatLakesNews

  • The Congo story no one has told you

    {Over the weekend, ABC10 News received an email from a local viewer, Julia Wyman.}

    She wanted to know why we hadn’t covered a massacre that had occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo earlier this month. More than 60 people had been killed.

    She wrote: “Black lives in America matter, black lives in Europe matter, but based on media coverage, black lives in Africa do not matter. If 60 people were killed in Louisiana, or Paris for that matter, it would be all over every news service.”

    We had to hand it to Wyman – she had a point. So, we went to meet her at a diner in San Andreas, near her home in Sonora, to talk.

    “The people are people, and they’re complex just like anybody, but they are the most loving, generous people I’ve ever met,” Wyman said, describing the Congolese. Wyman lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo until she turned 18, having moved there as a baby with her missionary parents.

    The civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the ongoing fighting in the country, has claimed the lives of more than 5 million people. Wyman described the recent massacre in the town of Beni.

    “What I know is that some armed men came into the town and massacred whole families,” Wyman said. “They went into houses, pulled people out and committed atrocious crimes. I don’t even want to describe them.”

    Wyman doesn’t want to talk about the killings – but she says somebody needs to.

    “There’s definitely a blind spot for sub-Saharan Africa – black Africa. It’s a very misunderstood part of the world, and frankly not very important to people, largely because of race,” Wyman said.

    With attacks in Europe and in the U.S., ABC10 News has made an effort to talk about the victims as people with full lives – lives that were tragically cut short by violence. Wyman says the Congolese deserve the same.

    “I like to refer to myself as an African-American, because I grew up in Africa, and it’s kind of a funny joke among us who grew up there. But I am – and it breaks my heart to see Africans being ignored by the world,” Wyman said.

  • Journalist Jean Bigirimana is Still Missing as Burundi’s Political Crisis Continues

    {Burundian journalist Jean Bigirimana has been missing since 22 July 2016. Multiple sources have told his employer, independent newspaper Iwacu, that he is in government custody. Authorities are denying these claims.}

    Iwacu, which represents a small beacon in Burundi’s notoriously difficult media environment, last week changed their website design to one that is entirely black and white, in homage to their missing colleague.

    Burundi has been engulfed in political crisis since President Pierre Nkurunziza’s run for a third term last year, which sparked protests and citizen campaigns arguing that his candidacy undermined the Arusha Accords and Burundi’s constitution. Witnesses, victims, local activists and human rights organizations have all documented cases of arbitrary detention, systematic torture, and killings, targeting activists, journalists and Nkurunziza’s opponents, though government officials have denied this.

    The country’s once lively media landscape has suffered from the militarized response to third-term opposition, especially outside the capital Bujumbura. Burundian and international journalists have faced accusations of anti-government bias or encouraging insurrection and been targeted with violence. Iwacu director Antoine Kaburahe himself currently lives in exile in Belgium.

    Before coming to Iwacu, Jean worked with Rema FM radio station. Iwacu reports that in his travels to Rwanda, the 37-year-old reporter had written about the lives of exiled Burundian journalists living in the neighboring country. Rwanda and Burundi have a long history of political and diplomatic tensions.

    On June 22, 2016, Jean left home after receiving a call from the national intelligence service. He has not been seen or heard from since. His wife, Godeberthe, made an emotional appeal for his freedom, and media outlets have tried to investigate and publicize the case, sharing images widely online.

    Iwacu has vowed to continue searching for Jean. Iwacu journalists undertook their own investigations which they published online, and hope to take the case to court, though this may prove difficult given the crisis and the many other uninvestigated deaths and disappearances. Burundian rights organization APRODH recently reported that police and military sources, unhappy with the current situation, have identified 14 mass graves, likely containing some of the disappeared.

    During their enquiries, two tortured bodies were found and eventually collected by police. When Jean’s wife was brought to identify the bodies she said neither was him, although they were then reportedly buried without being identified.

    Police spokesperson Pierre Nkurikiye confirmed that neither of the two was Jean:

    The news raised concerns among citizens not only about Jean, but about other possibly undiscovered bodies. Twitter user Thierry Uwamahoro asked:

    Eleven days after Jean’s disappearance, Iwacu criticized the police for their “deafening silence” and for the apparent lack of an investigation. Iwacu attempted to follow a lead of Abel Ahishakiye, someone Jean contacted by phone before disappearing, but he too then apparently disappeared.

    In early August, colleagues of Jean’s received a tip indicating that he had been secretly detained in Muramvya province. Police spokesperson Pierre Nkurikiye denied that the journalist had been arrested, and on 5 August Burundi’s independent human rights commission (Commission Nationale Indépendante des Droits de l’Homme) stated it found no evidence that Jean was in the custody of the SNR.

    Other reporters have recently been similarly targeted. Oximity journalist Julien Barinzigo was arrested on 17 June and released on 05 August with restrictions. Gisa Steve Irakoze of Radio Buja FM was arrested by SNR in early August, before being released on 25 August.

    Some have not returned. Rights activist Marie-Claudette Kwizera, with rights organization Ligue Iteka, has not been seen since December 2015 after reportedly being arrested by security agents. APRODH’s president Pierre-Claver Mbonimpa is in exile after surviving an assassination attempt last year, and family members were then murdered.

    The risks of attack even follow reporters into exile. Boaz Ntaconayigize, a journalist with Bonesha, in exile in Kampala, was stabbed on 31 July. He said that security agents had come from Bujumbura to infiltrate the refugee community and track journalists and activists. Boaz was also later questioned by Ugandan police.

    As many have disappeared or been found dead after being detained, officials’ denial of Jean’s detention has left his friends and colleagues fearful that authorities may be concealing information on his whereabouts or death. On 25 August Iwacu’s editors published a “Letter to Jean” expressing their hopes of finding him and their fears of the worst.

  • Uganda:Why NRM beat Opposition in new districts

    {NRM won all the LC5 and Woman MP slots except the Omoro LC5 seat won by a former NRM member.}

    Kampala. The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) won with a landslide in the new districts, lending credence to the long-held argument that new districts are created to further entrench the ruling party’s dominance.

    NRM has more than 300 MPs and added four to these after winning all the Woman MP slots in the new districts.

    In a March, 2015 letter to the Local Government minister, President Museveni argued for the creation of new districts as a way that would help to resolve complicated administration issues, separate various ethnic groups and address poor planning.

    {{NRM takes all }}

    NRM won all the LC5 and Woman MP slots except the Omoro LC5 seat won by a former NRM member. The race was not even close in the majority of the races with the leading NRM candidates sometimes garnering double or more the score of their closest challengers.

    Opposition party Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidates mostly trailed in the third place, with NRM-leaning independent candidates coming second.

    But what helped NRM, which has in the past not done well in bye-elections, to not only win but also for the Opposition to lose miserably?

    “Our performance in past bye-elections has been harmed by internal rivalry. We would face a united front in the Opposition but also a fight within NRM. This time, we didn’t have any division in most of the constituencies,” Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM electoral commission chairman, said.

    Dr Tanga tagged the party’s success in the elections to “a well-packaged message, the realisation that people have achieved through NRM, a divided Opposition, people getting fed up with Opposition politics based on lies and violence.”

    In an interview with Daily Monitor, FDC publicity secretary for Gulu and Omoro, Mr Wilson Oyat Chagga, said they are “dissatisfied” with the results, adding that they are yet to discuss with their candidates on the next course of action.

    “I personally and FDC party are not satisfied with the polls because of the anomalies. Government vehicles have been used by NRM leaders to ferry people from the districts bordering Omoro to come and vote,” he said.

    Mr Chagga also blamed their loss on FDC party members failing to provide block support to the chosen party flag bearers.

    For example, FDC member and Gulu LC5 chairperson Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, openly backed Independent Peter Okello Okao, who eventually defeated FDC’s Simon Toolit Akecha by a margin of less than 100 votes.

    {{Opposition disunited?}}

    NRM publicity secretary for Gulu and Omoro Christopher Opiyo Ateker says their party capitalised on the disunity within the Opposition.

    Mr Crispy Kaheru, the coordinator Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda, which deployed observers to all the polling areas, called for the enforcement of the political parties code of conduct, as well as pass a water-tight legislation around campaign financing.

    “We have generally seen a lot of voter bribery incidents and questionable assisted voting, especially in Rubanda. Voters too were being seen soliciting money from candidates’ agents, before they proceeded to their respective polling stations to vote,” he said.

    Ms Noeline Kisembo Basemera (NRM), Kibaale Woman MP and Ms Catherine Lamwaka (NRM), took the Omoro Woman MP seat

  • Kenya:House team wants Kinisu fired over NYS

    {Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Philip Kinisu on Tuesday appeared resigned to his fate after a committee of MPs recommended his sacking.}

    Mr Kinisu said he was taking things “day by day”, after the National Assembly’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee asked MPs to sanction a tribunal to try and remove him from office for his company’s dealings with the National Youth Service.

    “I have not read the report and cannot say anything about it. In the circumstances, you take things day by day,” said Mr Kinisu when contacted by the Daily Nation.

    Earlier in the afternoon, the formal process of removing him from office was triggered after MPs recommended that President Uhuru Kenyatta form a tribunal to investigate him.

    Mr Kinisu faces conflict of interest charges for his firm Esaki Ltd’s dealings with scandal-hit National Youth Service for which the firm was paid Sh35.4 million.

    Committee chairman Samuel Chepkonga, who is also the Ainabkoi MP, tabled the report recommending that Mr Kinisu face a tribunal, which will have 30 days to give its verdict. The committee agreed with a petition by Mr Albert Ondieki.

    Should he be shown the door in the next one month, Mr Kinisu will be the shortest-serving chairman of the anti-graft agency yet, a hot position that now appears jinxed following a high turnover of former holders of the office, some swept aside by intrigues and forces fighting against corruption.

    The former head of a leading audit firm, Mr Kinisu was seen as the perfect man to “slay the dragon of corruption” and was already settling into the role when the conflict of interest charges emerged, gravely denting his image.

    Mr Kinisu has defended the business dealings of the firm from which he said he resigned as director, leaving its running to his wife and daughter.

    However, his critics, including the parliamentary team, said that as the head of the investigative agency tasked with unearthing the scandal at NYS, he would not be the right man to lead such a process.

    Apart from recommendations to form a tribunal, the committee of 29 members also resolved to have the President suspend the chairperson, pending the determination of the tribunal.

    DISSENTING VOICES

    “Having considered provisions of Constitution on leadership and integrity of State officers and Parliamentary Standing Orders, the committee by majority reports to the House that the petition discloses grounds for removal of Mr Kinisu as chairperson of the EACC and resolves that the President appoints a tribunal to deal with the matter in accordance with Article 251 of the Constitution and suspends the chairperson here-in pending the determination of tribunal,” says the report.

    The committee, however, appeared to have been divided on whether to recommend Mr Kinisu’s removal with eight MPs — mostly from Cord — opposing it, and only one Jubilee MP joining them.

    The dissenting voices, according to the committee’s report, included Kisumu West MP Olago Aluoch, Siaya woman representative Christine Ombaka, Hamisi MP Charles Gimose, Ndhiwa MP Aghostinho Neto, Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma and Rabai MP Kamoti Mwamkale.

    Only Emurrua Dikirr MP Johanna Ng’eno of Jubilee appeared to have opposed the formation of a tribunal, going against majority of his colleagues, who have 18 members in the committee, with the 11 others being from the Opposition.

    Although the committee recommended that President Kenyatta suspends Mr Kinisu to pave way for investigations, the President may chose not to suspend him, and have him investigated while in office, but he cannot ignore the decision of the MPs to form a tribunal, which will have final say on the matter.

    Mr Kinisu’s predecessor Mumo Matemu, was also forced to resign rather than face a tribunal and had to leave with two other commissioners, including his vice chairperson, but in the current case, other commissioners have actually supported decision to remove their boss from office, a position that has also been gotten the backing of EACC Chief Executive Officer Halakhe Waqo.

    Other former EACC bosses who have left the position under a cloud of controversy include renowned lawyer Patrick Lumumba, Justice Aaron Ringera and former Kilome MP Harun Mwau.

    Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Philip Kinisu. The National Assembly's Justice and Legal Affairs Committee has approved a petition seeking his removal from office.

  • SADC Chairperson hails Magufuli at summit

    {Outgoing Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson and Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama has toasted President John Magufuli for his victory in last year’s general election.}

    Mr Khama is in Swaziland for the 36th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government that kicked off yesterday in Mbabane, Swaziland.

    The summit ends today and President Khama, who is the current SADC chairperson, is expected to pass the baton to King Mswati III of Swaziland. President Magufuli was represented at the summit by the Vice-President, Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan.

    The Botswana president said growth of democracy to SADC member states was increasing at high speed and that it was important to boost those efforts.

    President Khama said he had much trust in leaders within the SADC grouping such as Dr Magufuli of Tanzania, who were elected through transparent and peaceful means that would help foster development in the regional bloc.

    Heads of States from SADC witnessed during the meeting presentation of awards to students who won essay writing competition as well as journalists who were recognized for their news and feature stories on various issues in the bloc.

    The leaders at the 36th meeting are today expected to elect the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson in addition to the Chair for the SADC Organ on Defense, Security and Politics (SADCTroika).

    They are also scheduled to receive drafts on amendments of a number of conventions to be presented by the Ministerial Council.

    President John Magufuli

  • Burundi Parliament to Review Plan on Scrapping Term Limits

    {Burundi’s parliament is set to begin reviewing a report from a national commission, convened by the president, that says the people are in favor of scrapping term limits. Is this a sign the ruling party has been able to use a year-long political crisis to consolidate power? Or could this revitalize the opposition?}

    In October 2015, the government of Burundi formed a commission to find a solution to the country’s political crisis.

    The crisis began the previous April, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced a plan to run for a third term, a move that critics said violated the constitution and the Arusha peace agreement that ended the country’s civil war.

    The 15-member committee was tasked with collecting the views of Burundians on the best way to put a stop to the crisis.

    {{Controversial findings}}

    Almost a year later, parliament is set to debate the committee’s provisional report, which says the majority of Burundians favor abolishing the two-term limit from the constitution.

    Vital Nshirimana, the head of Burundi’s Forum for Strengthening Civil Society (FORSC), says the views presented to the parliament do not represent those of all Burundians.

    “From the start, the commission we noticed that the commission was exclusive, because they only listened to people that are members of the CNDD-FDD [the ruling party] and its allies, who from the beginning talked about amendment of the constitution and the cancellation of the term limits because they believed this was an obstacle for Nkurunziza to run the country forever,” he said.

    The opposition group CNARED, whose members are mostly in exile, has accused the government of blocking it from taking part in the political dialogue.

    The government has said it is reluctant to speak to those who were involved in armed conflict in the country. Hundreds of people died in clashes between protesters and security agencies last year.

    The commission’s president, Bishop Justin Nzoyisaba, acknowledges the commission has consulted only a quarter of the organizations with whom they planned to speak.

    “In Bujumbura, we had some groups like journalists and businessmen who we did not speak to… We had 20 groups. We already spoke to six groups, but we will speak to them before the final report,” he said.

    Some opposition members say that if term limits are eliminated, it will be a setback for democracy.

    Vital says the move to change the constitution will create more problems.

    “This is extremely dangerous because this will lead to the same causes that led to the crisis that led to the civil war,” he said.

    More than 300,000 Burundians were killed in the 13-year war, which ended in 2006.

    Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza arrives for the ruling Conseil National pour la Defense de la Democratie - Forces pour Defense de la Democratie (CNDD-FDD) party extraordinary congress in Gitega Province, Burundi, Aug. 20, 2016.

  • Museveni in bilateral talks with Kenya’s Uhuru

    {The Nairobi Declaration and its Implementation Plan were adopted unanimously after the summit.}

    President Yoweri Museveni on Monday held a bilateral meeting with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi.

    The two leaders discussed matters of mutual interest between Uganda and Kenya.

    The meeting comes at the heels of the closure of the TICADVI summit that attracted over 30 heads of state from Africa and 100 chief executive officers from Japan representing top Japanese companies.

    The summit was anchored on “Advancing Africa’s Sustainable Development Agenda and, “Partnership for Prosperity,” according to a statement from State House

    Following the summit, the Nairobi Declaration and its Implementation Plan were adopted unanimously.

    The Nairobi declaration contains the blueprint for the continued partnership between Africa and Japan and will guide the delivery of the agreements reached during the talks.

    The Nairobi declaration is designed to contribute to the improvement of infrastructure, clean energy generation and distribution, modernisation of agriculture and health.

    The deal is also expected to usher in greater economic integration of Africa and will also boost empowerment of women and youth.

    President Kenyatta (R) and President Museveni in Nairobi.

  • Kenya:ODM legislators say Raila must be Cord flagbearer

    {As Mudavadi’s ANC deny they are in talks with Mr Odinga to form a coalition.}

    Orange leaders have vowed to ensure party leader Raila Odinga wins the Cord presidential ticket in next year’s General Election.

    This comes as the Amani National Congress (ANC) said its leader Musalia Mudavadi is not engaged in any coalition talks with Mr Odinga.

    ANC secretary-general Godfrey Osotsi said Mr Mudavadi’s priority was to strengthen the party before starting any talks with like-minded outfits.

    ODM national vice chairman Josephat Nanok and seven MPs argued that Mr Odinga stood a better chance of winning the Cord ticket against Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula and any other candidate interested in the coalition.

    “Raila will be the candidate and ODM will win. Party politics is about taking power democratically in elections,” Mr Nanok told Nation by phone.

    Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire and ODM treasurer Florence Mutua (Busia woman rep), Chris Omulele (Luanda), Edick Anyanga (Nyatike), Sylvance Osele (Kabondo Kasipul), Rose Nyamunga (Kisumu woman rep) and Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) said Mr Odinga is the best bet for Cord.

    “Raila has been tried, tested and is trusted. He has a wider constituency across the country and nothing will stop him from clinching the Cord ticket,” Mr Bosire said.

    Mr Odinga is battling it out with Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetang’ula for the Cord ticket and he has indicated in the past he is ready to sacrifice his presidential ambition to beat Jubilee.

    Last Friday, Luo Council of Elders endorsed him, saying his 2017 candidature is not negotiable. Council chairman Willis Otondi said they resolved to have Mr Odinga’s name on the ballot.

    Secretary Owino Nyady said, “We own Raila. Raila does not own us. Therefore our resolution is final. Raila must run for President in 2017 and this matter is not negotiable.”

    On Monday, Mr Omulele said Mr Odinga has both local and international networks and a large financial muscle that no other candidate can match.

    “Our candidate is Agwambo (Mr Odinga) and we are not compromising on that. He cannot be going round the country campaigning only to support somebody else for the Cord ticket,” he said.

    “He is therefore up to the task. Nothing comes on a silver platter. He will fly our flag in 2017. We follow him not just as Mr Odinga but because of what he believes in,” the Luanda MP said.

    Mr Anyanga said Mr Odinga’s record speaks for itself.

    “The flagbearer is a matter of getting a person with numbers hence possibility of winning. If anybody feels he is popular and can win he or she should join Mr Odinga so they win as a team,” the Nyatike MP said.

    He said it is not possible that Mr Odinga will support another candidate.

    HUNTING FOR VOTES

    “Then why has he been criss-crossing the country in hunt for votes?” asked Mr Anyanga.

    Mr Osele said Mr Odinga will not endorse another candidate as witnessed in 2002 when he supported retired President Mwai Kibaki.

    “The political dynamics are currently different. During “Kibaki Tosha” time, the idea of coalition was still new and Mr Odinga’s stature was still rising but today the coalition principles are properly entrenched and Raila’s political stature has risen in Coast, Western, Eastern, North Eastern and Nairobi in addition to Nyanza,” he said.

    (READ: Raila endorsement by elders bad for Cord – Mutula Jnr)

    The stand by the ODM leaders is likely to rub the wrong way their Wiper and Ford Kenya allies who have been lobbying for their leaders to get the Cord ticket. There has also been talk of Mr Odinga disbanding Cord and forming a wider alliance which includes Mr Mudavadi.

    But on Monday, ANC’s secretary general Geoffrey Osotsi said it was premature to speak of formal talks between Mr Mudavadi and Mr Odinga.

    “The strengthening of ANC party across the country is our main priority as we prepare for the 2017 elections. While doing so, we appreciate the strategic importance of partnerships and coalition building with like-minded political organisations including Cord or its affiliate parties.

    Mr Osotsi explained that structured talks on future coalitions which Mr Mudavadi could join will be based on the provisions in the ANC constitution and will not be made by the roadside.

    “The structured process of coalition building is clearly specified in our party constitution and at the opportune time that process will be invoked within the framework of our party constitution and the relevant legislation,” he said.

    Mr Osotsi was reacting to a report quoting MPs Junet Mohamed (ODM) and Ayub Savula (UDF) that Mr Mudavadi’s ANC was one of the parties which were in talks with Mr Odinga to form a super alliance that will garner adequate numbers to defeat the Jubilee Coalition in the 2017 elections.

    He argued the fact that ANC has a commonality with the Cord coalition on policy issues should not be used to claim that Mr Mudavadi was in talks to join the opposition coalition.

    Cord leader Raila Odinga (behind microphones) flanked by Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok (second left) and other ODM lawmakers in Kalokol, Turkana Central, on August 28, 2016 when they campaigned for an ODM candidate for ward representative in a by-election scheduled for October.

  • Tanzania:Court of Appeal confirms life for Nigerian drug-peddler

    {The Court of Appeal has confirmed the life imprisonment sentence imposed on Nigerian woman, Vivian Edigin, who was convicted by the High Court of drug trafficking.}

    The Nigerian was found guilty June 2015 for trafficking 63 pellets of cocaine hydrochloride—narcotic drugs weighing 797.56gms—valued at over 39m/-.

    Justices Edward Rutakangwa, Engela Kileo and Salum Massati reached the decision after dismissing the appeal the Nigerian national, the appellant, had lodged in attempt to challenge both conviction of the offence and the sentence meted against her on June 29, last year, by the High Court.

    “Without much ado, we are settled in our minds that the trial court did not error in convicting the appellant of trafficking in narcotic drugs in contravention of the law.

    “There is no cause, whatsoever, for us to interfere with the findings of the trial court,” the panel of judges declared in the judgment dated August 2, 2016.

    Vivian Edigin

  • EALA moves motion to make Kiswahili official language

    {East African Legislative Assembly has moved a motion to formerly make Kiswahili an official language in all meetings, correspondences and discussions within the region.}

    “We have sent our resolutions to the Heads of State, urging the EAC Summit to amend the Treaty for the establishment of the community to provide for Kiswahili as one of the official languages of the community,” EALA legislator, Ms Shyrose Bhanji told the ‘Daily News’.

    The resolution was moved by Mr Abubakar Zein from Kenya, asking the partner states to promote and allow the use of Kiswahili in official domains. Ms Bhanji and Mr Abdullah Mwinyi from Tanzania seconded the resolution which received wide acclaim.

    EALA also asked the Council of Ministers to allocate adequate resources to EAC Kiswahili Commission to effectively carry out its mandate. The resolution appreciates that language is one of the most important aspects of human life by being a vessel of human philosophy, values, attitudes, identity and meaning of life.

    It states that Kiswahili is fast spreading across the globe and that the African Union has adopted it one of its official languages.

    Kiswahili, one of the official languages of the community is one way to deepen and widen the integration process. According to Mr Zein, embracing the Kiswahili language is also bound to increase the participation of the people of East Africa in the Affairs of the Community as well as promote African culture.

    Kiswahili is flexible and has its root in the Bantu language which constitutes over 50 per cent of African population. Several legislators supported the resolution, terming it as timely. Mr Kessy Nderakindo said the use of Kiswahili would boost education and give confidence to students.

    Mr Martin Ngoga said the widely spoken language brought people together, saying: “I really should have contributed to this debate in Kiswahili.” Mr Mwinyi noted that Kiswahili was an important language, saying Tanzania has embraced the cultural diversity, with Kiswahili as a uniting factor.

    “The Assembly also needs to be practical to acknowledge that there are some partner states like Uganda with large population that does not speak Kiswahili and in the Treaty there is the provision for development as a lingua franca,” Ms Bhanji said.

    Dr Odette Nyiramilimo proposed the establishment of Kiswahili Learning Centre to train, staff, members and all stakeholders involved in the integration process to fully comprehend the language. Kiswahili is the Bantu language and the first language of the Swahili people.

    EALA legislator, Ms Shyrose Bhanji