Press Release

World Travel Market concludes in London

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The East African Community Partner States of the Republics of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and The United Republic of Tanzania have gone another step ahead in regional integration by organising joint event at the World Travel Market in London.

This year the event focused on quality, improved services and standards, tourism opportunities, safety and security and lowered investment thresholds in the region in promoting it as a single tourist destination.

Speaking at the EAC joint event, Hon. Dr Maria Mutagamba, Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda, stated that the EAC Partner States have fully embarked on the operationalisation of a Common Market Protocol. With a combined population above 135 million as well as a collective estimated GDP of 85.00 billion U.S. dollars, the Common Market will have a positive economic impact for the entire EAC Region.

Since it was adopted in 2009, the Common Market Protocol has enabled the gradual free movement of people, capital, goods and services especially in the hospitality and travel industry sector where the removal of Non-Tariff Barriers has shown to be one of the stimulus factors.

Dr Mutagamba said tourism plays a key role in fostering regional economic growth and improving regional tourist products, such as the standardisation of accommodation and other hospitality services, whereby showing quality is more important than quantity and will go a long way in reassuring our UK market of their continued support and increased visits to the region.

She further stated that sustainable and optimal utilisation of the resources as a region requires striking the balance between developing creative “products” that will continuously attract visitors to the region and sustaining the natural resources the region have been blessed with.

Hon. Minister reiterated that promoting the EAC as a Single Tourism Destination is the only way to optimise the region’s potential. The single tourist visa is now operational in three countries i.e. Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and sales of multiple, cross-border destination packages have increased significantly in recent years due to strengthened cross-border tour operators co-operation, added Dr Maria.

The East African Community region has numerous unique and awesome attractions. The coastal zones of Mombasa and Zanzibar’s wonderful beaches and smiling faces of the coastal people will mesmerise you. The Heart of Africa in the land of a thousand hills you will meet our closest ape relative (Mountain gorilla) residing at the national park bordering Rwanda and the Pearl of Africa, Uganda, you will see more of them at Bwindi National Park. East Africa has even more to offer such as the world second largest migration at Serengeti - Maasai Mara; the source of the famous Nile river without forgetting Mt. Kilimanjaro the roof of Africa, stated the Minister.

She informed the participants who attended the event that safety and security is key to fostering tourism development in the region. Due to the increasing security threats from neighbours, joint efforts have helped minimise the consequences and ensured a durable solution. In this regard, the Ministers responsible for tourism have been fully addressing the negative image portrayed and subsequent, negative travel advisories issued.

Hon. Minister also called for the EAC’s increased foreign investment in the tourism sector. Though investment in this sector has recently registered significant increase, more is welcomed as East African countries are making strides in providing more enabling environment for foreign investors.

She disclosed several incentives granted in the region including a tax-free environment for a fixed period, quick registration services for the new companies and professional on-site guidance and friendly financing mechanisms.

Dr Mutagamba urged all the tourists to always plan their visits to the region using credible information. One such tool is the regional travel magazine “Travellers Around and About East Africa” which will continue to provide important and useful information in different forms about the region to visitors moving around the East Africa Community. The magazine will also provide pertinent and strategic information on the various lucrative investment opportunities in the region ranging from improving tourism facilities, standardising accommodation establishments and many more.

The event was graced by UK Buyers, Partner States Tour Operators, High Commissioners from the EAC Countries in the UK, Directors of Tourism and Wildlife Management. Vibrant songs and dances from various regions of the Community entertained guests.

Court dismisses a Case against Uganda and the EAC Secretary-General on the alleged failure to investigate business related to Trafficking of Military Goods

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The First Instance Division dismissed a case filed by a Ugandan national, Oscar Okaly Opuli, against the Secretary-General of the East African Community (1st Respondent) and the Republic of Uganda (2nd Respondent) alleging that the Government of Uganda’s failure to investigate David Greenhugh and business related to Trafficking of Military Goods from Ukraine to Sudan through Uganda, a conduct which is contrary to the United Kingdom’s Export Control Order Act 2008 and the East African Community Laws is an infringement of the Treaty. The Applicant also alleges that the Secretary-General’s inaction constitutes an infringement of the Treaty for the Establishment of the EAC.

In February 2015, the Court directed the Applicant to file evidence of a witness by way of affidavit and his submissions with the Court by 8th May 2015. To date, none of the orders have been complied with and the Court has gone ahead and dismissed the matter.

The Court in its ruling stated that, they agree with the Counsel for the Respondents that no sufficient reasons had been advanced by the Counsel for the Applicant for his failure to take steps ordered by the Court on 23rd Feb 2015 after the Scheduling Conference.

The Principal Judge Hon. Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi further said that in absence of sufficient reasons such failure amounts to abuse of Court process. The Court therefore exercised its discretion under Rule 1(2) and 66(3) of the Court’s Rules of procedure and dismissed the case.

Before the Court ruled, the Lawyer for the Applicant submitted that the Applicant lost contact with the witness leading to the delay in filing of the Submission as the Court had ordered in February 2015 and was requesting the Court for more time of 30 days to file the same.

Mr Stephen Agaba representing the Secretary-General also submitted opposing the prayer for the Applicant and said that Applicant has consistently shown lack of interest in the matter since the time the Court directed him to file his submission up to today.

That this was evidenced by his failure to communicate to Court what the challenge was. He further said that if he had failed to submit the requirements in eight months then he might not do the same in the one month being requested for. Mr Agaba asked Court to strike out the case because the Applicants have failed to fulfil their obligations and that is the abuse of the Court’s process.

The 2nd Respondent (Attorney General of Uganda) represented by Ms Margaret Nabakooza also associated herself with the submissions of Counsel for the Secretary-General and asked Court to dismiss the case.

The matters came before a bench of the Judges of the First Instance Division composed of Honourable Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi (Principal Judge), Justice Dr Faustin Ntezilyayo, and Justice Fakihi A. Jundu.

Court hears Case against EAC Secretary-General on expulsion of Rwandan Citizens from Kagera region in Tanzania

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The First Instance Division on 3 November 2015 heard a matter against the Secretary-General of the East African Community for the alleged failure to take action in implementation of the EAC Council of Ministers’ directive to the two Partner States - United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Rwanda - to resolve the issue of the Rwandan citizens who were expelled from Tanzania in Kagera region in 2013.

The Applicant (East African Law Society) represented by Prof. Fredrick Sempebwa submitted that the Secretary-General’s failure to comply with the Council’s decision was a breach of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. He further added that since the directive of the Council, the Secretary-General has done nothing to implement the decision which is a fundamental issue of the Treaty particularly Article 71 which provides the functions of the Secretariat.

Prof. Sempebwa again contended that the citizens who were expelled from Tanzania are citizens of a Partner State of the East African Community and therefore, infringes the Treaty because they are entitled to the right of residence and the right of establishment as well as other rights within the Treaty and the Common Market Protocol of the Community. He again said that it was the duty of the Secretary-General to carry out investigations and find out the truth of breach of the Treaty. He also sought remedies if the Court rules in favour of the Applicant.

Dr Anthony Kafumbe, Counsel to the Community, representing the Respondent submitted that, the matter is time barred because it occurred in August 2013, up to the time the case was filed to Court on 8th September 2015 which was beyond the two months time limit to file the case and it should have been filed within the provisions of Article 30(2) of the Treaty. He further stated that if the Secretary-General had failed to take action as alleged still the matter could have been filed to court within the time limit.

He also urged that the decision being contested about is a decision directed to the Partner States, that is the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Rwanda but not directed to the Secretary-General. He again added that in Article 16 of the Treaty, Partner States have an obligation to implement directives of the Council, that so it does not require the Secretary-General once the directive is issued.

Dr Kafumbe said that the Secretary-General had convened meetings in September 2013 and January 2015 for the two Partner States but he is not updated on the progress between the two Partner States. He also emphasised that the matter is still before the Council of Ministers expecting to be deliberated on in the Council of Ministers meeting expected to sit late November 2015.

He therefore said that the Secretary-General as a correspondence has played his role as he was supposed to and he is not the right party to be brought before the Court while there is provision of Article 16, which gives mandate to the Partner States to implement the directives of the Council.

The matter came before a bench of the Judges of the First Instance Division composed of Honourable Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi (Principal Judge), Justice Isaac Lenaola (Deputy Principal Judge), Justice Dr Faustin Ntezilyayo, Justice Fakihi A. Jundu and Justice Audace Ngiye in open Court.

The Court will deliver its judgment on notice.

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