THE LEADERS OF TANZANIA,
Kenya And Uganda Met In Zanzibar On What Was Described As Talks Focused On
Integration Issues Within The Framework Of The Regional Bloc, The East African
Community (Eac). Of Particular Importance Was The Need To Fast-Track A
Political Union For The Partner States, A Goal That Has Eluded The Eac For
Decades.
On Paper, Three Countries
Met; However, In Reality, The Rest Of The Partner States ‘Attended’ As Well.
The Meeting Came At A
Time When There Have Been Many Forces Pulling In Opposite Directions Within The
Region, Ranging From The Raging Wars In The Eastern Democratic Republic Of The
Congo (Drc) To Never-Ending Petty Squabbles Over Trade With The Countries That
Met In Zanzibar.
The Meeting Was
Variously Described As One Between The ‘Original’ Eac Partner States, While
Others Saw It As A Meeting Between Eac’s ‘Big Three’.
Then There Were Those
With A Sense Of Humour With History, Noting That The Three Countries Formed The
First Eac, Then Tanked It, And Decades Later Decided To Revive The Regional
Project.
Yet Others Wondered
Whether This Could Lead To Another Ill-Advised Coalition Of The Willing.
There Were Also
Those Who Noted That Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni Was The Only President Still
Alive And In Office Among The Three Leaders Who Met In March 1996 To Continue
Forging The Path For The Revival Of The Eac.
Since Then, Tanzania And
Kenya Have Had Three Presidents Each.
However, The Three That Met In Zanzibar Either Have Varying Degrees Of
Influence Over The Rest Or At Least Have Better Relations With Some Of Their
Partner States Than The Rest.