East African Court of Justice, 8th June, 2020: The Appellate Division dismissed an Appeal filed by the Attorney General of the Republic of Burundi (Appellant) against the Judgment of the First Instance Division (“the Trial Court”) over the dismissal of a dispute on the election of the Speaker of the 4th East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), claiming that the Speaker was elected in breach of Articles 53(1) or 57(1) of the Treaty, or Rule 12(1)of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.
The Appellate Court in its decision concluded that, It is clear that the Appellant’s challenge to the election of the Speaker of the 4th Assembly of EALA has failed in both the Trial Court and in this Court as the 3 issues for determination have all been answered in the negative and awarded Costs of the Appeal to the Respondent and the Intervener. The Cross-Appeal by the Respondents succeeded, with the result that the Respondent (Secretary General of East African Community) and the Intervener (Hon. Fred Mukasa Mbidde, a Member of EALA), will be awarded their Costs in the Trial Court.
East African Court of Justice, 3rd June, 2020:The Appellate Division denied an Application filed by the Attorney General(AG) of the United Republic of Tanzania, seeking for extension of time to file an Appeal out of time, to challenge the decision of the First Instance Division delivered on 21st June 2018,that ruled in favor of the Managing Editor of Mseto Newspaper.
The First Instance Division in its decision, declared that, an order issued by the former Tanzanian Minister for Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, dated 10th August 2016 that banned publication of Mseto newspaper, as a restriction of press freedom and thereby constitutes a violation of the Respondent’s State obligation under Articles 6 (d) and 7 (2) of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. The newspaper was banned for allegedly publishing incitements and false news.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 30th May, 2020: EAC Partner States have adopted the EAC Regional Electronic Cargo and Drivers Tracking System that will be hosted at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
The system is expected to share truck driver’s information leveraging on that which is managed and operated by Revenue Authorities in the region, and the existing health information systems in Partner States.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 30th May, 2020: The apex bodies of the private sector and civil society organizations met on 29th May, 2020 through the virtual tool, MS TEAMS.
The half-day meeting, which was attended by representatives of the East African Civil Society Organizations Forum (EACSOF), the East Africa Law Society (EALS), the East African Local Government Association (EALGA) and the East African Health Platform (EAHP) discussed joint Covid-19 responses of these apex bodies to mitigate the virus, which has impacted the entire world including the EAC region.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 28 May 2020: According to the Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum Statement, parts of South Sudan, Western Kenya, Uganda, Northern Tanzania and Rwanda are expected to receive above normal rainfall between June and September 2020, while the rest of the EAC Region is expected to experience the normal dry season. “It is against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the heavy floods that have caused havoc in parts of the region and the second wave of desert locust invasion, the EAC Secretariat urges the Partner States to take appropriate measures to ward off further threats to our people” says the EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Hon. Christophe Bazivamo.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 27 May 2020: The EAC Secretariat is enhancing the capacity of staff at the eight international airports in the region on the prevention of and response to the spread of COVID-19 ahead of Partner States resuming their flight schedules. The first training of trainers (TOT) started yesterday at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, Kenya.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 26th May, 2020: The East African Community wishes to congratulate the Government and the people of Burundi for peaceful and successful nominations, campaigns, and voting process with respect to the 2020 Elections that has just been concluded.
The 87.8 percent turnout for the process bears testimony to the desire of the people of Burundi to participate in determining their political future, which is critical to sustainable peace, security and stability.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 21st May, 2020: The Republic of Kenya on Wednesday received two mobile laboratories from the East African Community Secretariat as part of regional efforts to contain COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
Kenya’s EAC Affairs and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Adan Mohammed, handed over the mobile labs on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Amb Liberat Mfumukeko, to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe.
East African Community Headquarters, Arusha, Tanzania, 21st May, 2020: The East African Community Secretariat has handed over mobile laboratories and Coronavirus test kits to the Republic of Kenya.
During the hand-over ceremony at the Tanzania/Kenya border town of Namanga, the EAC Secretariat handed-over two four-wheel drive vehicles fitted with laboratory and ICT equipment, as well as all the necessary consumables for a fully functional laboratory with the capacity to conduct tests for Ebola and the coronavirus in addition to other pathogens.
East African Court of Justice, 18 May 2020: The Appellate Division will resume Sessions via Video Conference this week. This follows a decision by the extra Ordinary Plenary for Judges held virtually last month in April which resolved Court to roll out online hearings, delivery of Rulings and Judgments this month after a successful test run. The decision on video conference hearings is based under Rule 132 & 133 of the EACJ Rules of Procedure 2019, on use of technology in Court Proceedings and electronic sharing of documents respectively. To supplement the above provisions, the Court has also issued extra guidelines to be followed by the Parties.
