Posted in Press Release
EALA is to push for recognition of Kiswahili as one of the official languages of the Community. Late yesterday, EALA passed a Resolution to urge the Summit of EAC to amend the Treaty for the establishment of the Community to provide for Kiswahili as one of the official Languages of the Community.
At the same time, the Council of Ministers should allocate adequate resources to EAC Kiswahili Commission to effectively carry out its mandate.The Resolution moved by Hon Abubakar Zein wants the Partner States to promote and allow the use of Kiswahili in official domains. The Resolution which received wide acclaim, was seconded by Hon Shyrose Bhanji and Hon Abdullah Mwinyi.
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. The Resolution states that Kiswahili is the fastest spreading African globe across the globe and that the African Union has made Kiswahili one of its official languages.
Analysts contend that making Kiswahili one of the official languages of the Community is one way to deepen and widen the integration process. According to Hon 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 constitute more than 50 per cent of African population.
The regional legislators commended the Resolution saying its passage would enable the immediate negation of the perception that the Assembly is for the elitist population and instead embrace the principle of a people-centred Community.
Several legislators supported the Resolution terming it as timely. Hon Kessy Nderakindo said the use of Kiswahili would boost education and give confidence to the students. Hon Martin Ngoga said that Kiswahili brought people together since it was widely spoken.
“I really should have contributed to this debate in Kiswahili,” the legislator said to the amusement of the Assembly Members. On his part, Hon Joseph Kiangoi said it was time for East Africans to be proud of their culture. “Let us embrace Kiswahili, it is part of our culture”, he said.
Hon Abdullah Mwinyi noted that Kiswahili was key as a common language. He said the United Republic of Tanzania which embraced diversity in culture embraced Kiswahili as a uniting factor. Hon Adam Kimbisa said Kiswahili was indeed the “lingua franca” of the Community while Hon Mike Sebalu said the Assembly also should embrace Kiswahili for its richness.
Hon Shyrose Bhanji, who seconded the Motion said the language would unite the region and help to create an east African spirit. Hon Dora Byamukama hailed the move as positive for the region. “The Assembly also needs to be practical to acknowledge that there are some Partner States such as Uganda have a large population that does not speak Kiswahili and in the Treaty there is a provision for development as a lingua franca”, she said.
“There is need to do more to develop Kiswahili in the country,” she said. On her part, Hon Dr Odette Nyiramilimo called for the establishment of a Kiswahili Learning Centre to enable staff, Members an all stakeholders involved in the integration process to fully comprehend the language.
Kiswahili is a Bantu language and the first language of the Swahili people. It is a lingua franca of the East African Community and the Great Lakes region. According to the wikipedia, the closely related Comorian language, (Shikomor), also spoken in Mayote Island (Shimaore) is closely related to Kiswahili.
Posted in Press Release
The Assembly is pushing for the introduction of the single tourism visa to boost the tourism sector in the region. At the same time, the Assembly avers that Hotel classification in East Africa continue to face challenges which include poor planning in the construction modalities and therefore urges the EAC to establish a mechanism for funds to support the initiative and enhanced capacity building.
EALA late yesterday passed a report of the oversight activity on hotel classification and preparedness for a Single Tourist Visa. The report was presented by the Chair of the Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources, Hon Christophe Bazivamo.
In the report, EALA urges the Council of Ministers to fast-track and complete the study on the implementation of the EAC One Single Tourist Visa which commenced three years ago. EALA further wants the EAC Council to fast-track ratification of the Protocol on Tourism and Wildlife Management and for the EAC to provide additional resources for the Tourism and Wildlife Management Unit.
The Oversight report follows an on-spot assessment of selected hotels in EAC Partner States by the Committee on Agriculture Tourism and Natural Resources (ATNR) and a further workshop aimed at identifying progress made, existing gaps, challenges and charting a way forward in this respect in order to ensure sustainable development of the sector.
The objectives of the Oversight activities included stock taking of the progress so far made in implementing EAC projects and programmes within the context of the EAC Tourism and Wildlife Marketing plan and strategy, interfacing with hoteliers and other stakeholders in the Tourism industry and suggesting recommendations for improvements in the tourism sector for the benefit of citizens of East Africa.
The Treaty for the EAC states that Partner States shall establish a common code of private and public tour and travel operators, standardize hotel classifications and harmonise the professional standards of agents in the tourism and travel industry within the Community.
The Partner States are also obligated to develop a regional strategy for tourism promotion whereby individual efforts are reinforced by regional action.
The report takes an incisive study of hotels’ classification, looks at the challenges in the Partner States and makes specific recommendations as well.During debate, Hon Adam Kimbisa said there was need to ensure inter-connectivity and infrastructure to support systems of the One Single Tourist Visa.
Hon Nusura Tiperu said the region has vast tourist attractions and added that it was time for the single visa to be put in place. “There needs to be more information and data available on tourism to ensure visitors benefit on the tourist facilities”, she said. The legislator urged the Council of Ministers to ensure the Secretariat is well staffed and capacitated.
Hon Mike Sebalu, Hon Shyrose Bhanji and Hon Isabelle Ndahayo supported the adoption if the report.In June this year, the East African Tourism Platform met in Arusha to push for a common visa in the region. EATP which promotes East Africa as a single destination founded on growth, dynamism and investment wants the sector to embrace the visa and market the region as a single tourism destination in addition to understanding that common challenges need to be solved by agreeable yet common strategic solutions.