Tanzanian Association Oslo

A Kenyan government

minister wants the EAC

secretariat headquarters

be relocated elsewhere

from Arusha

THISDAY REPORTER 
Dar es Salaam 

TANZANIA appears set to respond solidly to a proposal by a Kenyan government minister that the EAC secretariat headquarters be relocated elsewhere from Arusha - with reports suggesting the preferred new destination as being Nairobi. 

’’The views of one person can’t be used to measure the views of all parties involved. That’s all I can say for now,’’ the Minister for East African Cooperation, Dr Diodorus Kamala, told THISDAY yesterday. 

He said he would be in a position to clarify matters further at a news conference planned for this morning in Dar es Salaam. 

However, going by reports emanating from the latest EAC Council of Ministers meeting in Arusha late last week, Kamala was most likely referring to comments attributed to his Kenyan counterpart minister, Jeffah Kingi, who reportedly called for the planned construction of the new EAC headquarters complex in Arusha to be indefinitely suspended. 

According to the reports, the Kenyan minister’s proposal was based on the fact that Kenya continues to be unhappy with the pace of negotiations on the EAC Common Market protocol, and blames Tanzania for delaying the process. 

The reports said Kingi wanted the plans to build the EAC headquarters in Arusha ’’shelved until Tanzania is seen to be fully committed to regional integration matters,’’ and also suggested in the meeting that failure to demonstrate such commitment ’’would make Tanzania unfit to host the EAC headquarters.’’ 

Members of the Tanzanian delegation, it was reported, appeared to be taken by surprise by the minister’s remarks, but counter-argued that the headquarters construction project cannot be suspended as the EAC Treaty clearly stipulates Arusha as being the seat of the EAC secretariat. 

The matter is said to have dominated the meeting with Rwanda reportedly supporting Kenya’s position, and Uganda and Burundi seeming to adopt neutral stands. 

Other reports had it that prior to the start of the meeting, members of the Kenyan and Rwandan delegations were seen holding a tete-a-tete conversation where Rwanda officials pledged to support a proposal for Kenya to take over the hosting of the EAC secretariat. 

Kenya has long been in the forefront of accusing Tanzania of dragging its feet on negotiations for the EAC Common Market Protocol. 

The EAC headquarters complex project has been estimated to cost about 14 million euros (approx. 24bn/-), to be provided by the German government, and is scheduled to commence in September this year. 

The regional organization currently has its headquarters at the Arusha International Conference Centre, which also served as headquarters of the former EAC which collapsed in 1977. 

Regarding the proposed EAC Common Market protocol, Tanzania - the largest EAC member country in size and population - has steadfastly opposed clauses dwelling on the movement of people and labour services across common borders; the right of residency; and access of land ownership by non-citizens. 

Tanzania, which has been particularly uncomfortable with the land issue, has repeatedly said it is still studying the situation. 

Under the current EAC Treaty, no major decision on regional integration issues can be made without the consent of all the member states. Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya remain the EAC founder states, while Rwanda and Burundi joined a couple of years ago. 

It is understood, however, that Kenya in particular with support from Rwanda - have been pressing for a change in the Treaty so that key decisions can be adopted if supported by the majority of member countries. 

Kenya’s EAC minister Kingi is already well-known as one of the most vocal of those saying Tanzania is dragging its feet in the integration process, and is also known to be spearheading a campaign to have major decisions made without the consent of the current host country. 

Tanzania, on the other hand, has always insisted that the country will not be rushed into any major decisions that could impact negatively on its own people. 

Kamala said he would also use today’s news conference to clarify on other issues arising from the Arusha meeting.