DONOR dependency on resources for infrastructure development, coupled by the major weakness of the East African Community treaty for its failure to create the conditions for enabling people’s centeredness integration to take place within the region, has been described to be among the major weaknesses existing within the regional bloc. These are among several factors that impends the development of the East African Community as highlighted in a book entitled “Challenging the frontiers of African Integration”. The book has been compiled by former Secretary General of the East Africa Community (EAC) Ambassador Dr. Juma Mwapachu. The 414 paged book was launched two weeks ago in Dar es Salaam in a colorful ceremony which was attended by book authors, publishers, educational stakeholders, including among the government dignitaries, former Attorney General Mark Bomani, Chief Justice Othman Chande and a former cabinet Minister Sir. George Kahama and was graced by former OAU Secretary General Salim Ahamed Salim. Dr. Mwapachu has stressed in his book that, despite the immense progress made by the EAC in deepening integration and fast tracking economic integration amongst the partner states is that more work needs to be done. This is especially so in bridging the knowledge and interest divide between the political elite and private sector who are engaged with the regional integration process on a daily basis and the regular people within the community who are still not aware of the milestones that make up EAC. However, he said this is a problem which needed to be worked upon collectively in order to change the attitude to let the people of EAC to have a sense and culture of East Africaness, something he said the father of the nation Mwalimu Julius Nyerere made reference to many times. “We need to bolster this identity” he said. Dr. Mwapachu uses the example of ECOWAS and how despite the diverse cultural environment the people of West African member states have a free movement which has promoted a sense of West Africaness. But we in East Africa share so much in culture, language and share experiences that the notion of East Africannes should be easy to harness. The 414 paged book which focuses on the dynamics of policies, politics and transformation in the East Africa Community (EAC), is the author’s achievement in documenting his insight on the challenges and achievements in the period of his five years of leadership as Secretary General of the East African Community from 2006 to 2011.
Former EAC Secretary General Dr. Juma Mwapachu seated extreme right following the proceedings during the launching ceremony of his book. Others in the picture are former OAU Secretary General Salim Ahamed Salim (left), and centre is the Chief Justice Othman Chande.
The book gives a highlight of the development of the partner states and their way forward to better achievements in terms of political, social and economic grounds and the framework of their policies which are enjoined to be worked for the benefits of the people in the jurisdiction of the community. Speaking during the launching, Dr. Mwapachu challenged educational donors in the country urging them they shouldn’t only donating desk materials, but also build libraries and supply educational books to primary and secondary schools. He said that, it was shaming to see most secondary schools in the country do not have libraries and enough books while in some schools students are seated in good desks which have been donated by well wishers including companies as part of their Social Corporate Responsibilities (SCR). In view of this, Dr. Mwapachu has appealed to well wishers and government to donate part of their money as an incentive so as to help students get educational books for studies. Comparing with the time he was learning in secondary school in 1960s, he noted that, all schools in the country were well equipped with libraries, laboratories and had enough books for studying. Unlike today, the former envoy has also thrown a challenge to the government which he said does not have a culture of supplying enough books to meet the demand of students in schools despite of efforts it had shown of constructing many secondary schools in the country, but most lacks reading materials. Judging from the experiences and compared Tanzania with other neighboring East African countries such as Kenya and Uganda, he noted that, the two countries have put seriousness in education an aspect that if Tanzania won’t wake up now, is likely to loose opportunities in EA common market. His remarks went alongside with the insistence to government retirees whom he urged to engage in publishing books or reports of their experience of long service in order to honour our African culture and way of life. “Many retirees do not leave behind reports to be used as reference to the coming generation” he said and added that, this is why Tanzania does not have enough publishers with interest to write about Tanzania and others. In view of this, he has congratulated few academicians like Professor Shivji and Professor Rwekaza Mukandara both of the University of Dar es Salaam for their contribution. Former OAU Secretary General Dr. Salim Ahamed Salim who graced the occasion described the author as vigilant for he has described into details the whole EAC framework and most problems compounded by it and how these could be tackled to pave way for the development within the region. Through his experience he also noted that, the contents highlighted in the book pages would help economic researchers from outside the region to get good contents that would enable them know the entire problems within the region which according to him is inherently part of each others’ and also how the community operates. “This publication is correct and full of reality as it has been compiled by a person who has worked in his capacity as secretary general of the member states for a period of five years consecutively as from April 2006 up to April 2011”, he said adding that, it has given him high prestige. However, he also noted that, the book is expected to be read by highly qualified researchers of all walks of life who would like to highlight issues related with the development of EAC and the economic integration of partner states, not only from that aspect of human life, but it will also help people know about the regional group.
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