Shirikisho A/Mashariki: Rais akubaliana nasi

Habari juu ya kuahirisha uharakishwaji wa Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki nimezipokea kwa furaha leo.

Mimi binafsi nimekuwa mstari wa mbele ktk kupinga uharakishwaji huu. Pia ninayo furaha kuwa hata Mkuu wetu wa nchi Mheshimiwa Rais Jakaya Kikwete na serikali yake wamesikiliza vilio cha watanzania walio wengi na kuvifanyia kazi.

Maoni yangu kuhusu kupinga uharakishwaji wa Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki yanapatikana ktk blog mbalimbali hasa ya klh news kama nilivyochangia mwezi Desemba 2006. Wakatimwingine mijadala yetu ilikuwa mikali, lakini nafurahi kuwa watanzania walio wengi wameongelea hoja ambazo nami nilikuwa nazitilia mkazo.

Nimekuwa pia nikiwaunga mkono baadhi ya watanzania wanaochangia ktk vyombo vya habari (magazeti) nchini, mathalani mwanasiasa mkongwe mstaafu Mheshimiwa Herman Kirigini na ndugu Makwaia wa Kuhenga (mwandishi wa habari mzoefu na mwendesha kipindi cha Je Tutafika? cha channel Ten) juu ya mapungufu yaliyopo ktk uundwaji wa shirikisho. Baadhi ya makala hizo zinapatikana ndani ya blog hii.

Kwa mara nyingine tena natoa pongezi kwa serikali yetu kwa kuwasiliza wananchi wake na kuyafanyia kazi mawazo yao kikamilifu na bila mizengwe!!

Na Mosonga


Msomi awafagilia JK, Museven
21 Aug 2007By Haji Mbaruku, Jijini
Mhadhiri wa Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, Professa Haroub Othman amepongeza uamuzi wa wakuu watano wa nchi za Afrika Mashariki kuheshimu maoni ya wananchi waliopinga kuharakishwa kuundwa kwa Shirikisho la kisiasa katika nchi hizo. Professa Haroub amesema ni vyema Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki likaenda hatua kwa hatua na sio kuharakisha. Amesema ni vyema shirikisho likaanza na umoja wa forodha, sarafu moja, soko la pamoja na kisha shirikisho la kisiasa. Alikuwa akihojiwa na kituo kimoja cha redio Jijini Dar es Salaam, wakati akitoa maoni yake kufuatia kukataliwa kuharakishwa kwa shirikisho hilo. Professa Haroub ambaye pia ni mtaalam wa masuala ya sheria za kimataifa, amesema kupewa nguvu kisheria kwa nchi za Burundi na Rwanda kutasaidia kuongeza utulivu katika nchi hizo zilizokuwa katika mauaji ya kimbari kwa muda mrefu. Akasema hata hivyo katika dunia ya sasa, ni umoja pekee ndiyo unaoweza kusaidia kukuza uchumi wa nchi za Afrika Mashariki na wala sio vinginevyo. Katika kamati ya maoni kuhusu kuharakishwa kwa Shirikisho la kisiasa la Afrika Mashariki, asilimia 76 ya Watanzania walilikataa shirikisho hilo wakati asilimia 70 ya waganda walikubali na 76 Wakenya walikubali. Marais watano wa Afrika Mashariki majuzi wamekubali kutoharakishwa kwa Shirikisho la kisiasa na kuamua kazi hiyo ianze mwaka 2012.
* SOURCE: Alasiri


Shirikisho `No`
21 Aug 2007By Novatus Makunga, PST Arusha,
Wakuu wa nchi zinazounda Jumuiya ya Afrika ya Mashariki wamesitisha hatua ya kuharakishwa kwa uundaji wa Shirikisho la kisiasa la Jumuiya hiyo na kutaka kwanza kukamilika kwa hatua za awali ambazo ni soko la pamoja na sarafu moja. Wakuu hao walifikia maamuzi yao baada ya kukutana katika kikao cha faragha cha zaidi ya saa nne na baadaye ndipo walipoanza kikao cha sita cha dharura cha wakuu wa nchi za Jumuiya hiyo kilichofanyika katika hoteli ya Ngurdoto iliyopo nje kidogo ya mji wa Arusha. Akisoma maamuzi hayo, Katibu Mkuu wa Jumuiya ya Afrika ya Mashariki, Balozi Juma Mwapachu, alisema kuwa wakuu hao walisema ni vyema kwanza hatua hizo mbili zikakamilika kabla ya kufikia hatua ya mwisho ambayo ni kuwa na shirikisho la Kisiasa. Balozi Mwapachu alisema kuwa wakuu hao waliagiza sekretariati ya Jumuiya ya Afrika ya Mashariki kuweka mkakati wa kuharakisha hatua ya Soko la Pamoja mapema zaidi kabla ya mwaka 2012 na baadaye kuingia katika hatua ya kuwa na sarafu ya pamoja, hatua ambayo itahitimisha kwa kuunda shirikisho la kisiasa la Afrika ya Mashariki. Alisema mkakati huo unatakiwa kuwasilishwa kwao katika kikao kijacho cha wakuu wa nchi. “Wakuu wameonelea kuwa kuna umuhimu mkubwa wa kuhamasisha, kuelimisha na kuwa na utashi wa kisiasa kwa wananchi wa eneo la Afrika ya Mashariki na pia wanaona umuhimu wa kuwa na shirikisho la kisiasa wakati huu ambapo tunakamilisha hatua hizi za awali,” alisema Balozi Mwapachu. Maamuzi hayo yanahitimisha mchakato wa ukusanyaji wa maoni ya wananchi wa nchi hizo tatu ambapo kwa upande wa Tanzania, asilimia 76 ya waliotoa maoni walikataa uharakishwaji wa shirikisho la kisiasa huku kwa upande wa Uganda asilimia 76 wakikubali na Kenya asilimia 70 nao wakikubali. Mkataba wa uanzishwaji wa Jumuiya ya Afrika ulisainiwa Novemba 30 mwaka 1999 na kuanza rasmi Julai 7 mwaka 2000, ukilenga kuingia katika utaratibu kwa kuanza na kuanzishwa kwa Umoja wa Forodha, Soko la Pamoja, Sarafu ya Pamoja na hatimaye Shirikisha la kisiasa. Hivi sasa Jumuiya ipo katika ngazi ya Umoja wa forodha. Aidha Balozi Mwapachu alisema kuwa katika mkutano huo wakuu hao walifanyia marekebisho mkataba wa uanzishwaji wa Jumuiya ya Afrika ya Mashariki ambapo sasa nchi za Rwanda na Burundi zinakuwa na nguvu ya kisheria katika kuingia katika majadiliano mbalimbali. Kwa upande wa nchi kuingia kama kundi moja katika mazungumzo ya kujadiliana ushirikiano wa kiuchumi unaofahamika kama EPA na Umoja wa Ulaya wakuu hao waliagiza mawaziri wanaohusika kukutana na kuchambua masuala ya kiuchumi kuhusiana na mpango huo. Mkutano huo wa sita wa dharura wa wakuu wa nchi za Afrika ya mashariki ulihudhuriwa na marais Mwai Kibaki wa Kenya, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni wa Uganda, Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete wa Tanzania, Paul Kagame wa Rwanda, wakati Burundi iliwakilishwa na makamu wa kwanza wa rais Bw. Ntisezerana Paul.
* SOURCE: Nipashe


EAC leaders freeze fast-tracking plan
21 Aug 2007By Adam Ihucha, Arusha
The Heads of the East African Community partner States have resolved to freeze the idea of fast-tracking the envisaged regional political federation, insisting that the gradual integration process should move along the lines of the original `roadmap`. In a joint communiqué read on their behalf by EAC Secretary General Juma Mwapachu at the end of their one-day Summit at a tourist lodge 30 km from here yesterday, the leaders unanimously agreed that the five nations’ economic, political and other links should run in phases until the ultimate goal of having a political union is achieved. ``There is a need to mobilise and deepen sensitisation on political integration and stimulate greater political will to promote deeper economic integration and lock-in gains achieved from economic cooperation,`` reads part of the communiqué from the Summit, held at the Ngurdoto Mountain Lodge. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda chaired the Summit, which was also attended by host President Jakaya Kikwete, President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Burundi Second Vice President Gabriel Ntisezerana. The five leaders were also unanimous on the need to move expeditiously towards establishing a common market and a monetary union by 2012 before seeing how to have the envisaged political federation. With their common stand coming against the backdrop of qualified support from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania for the idea of fast-tracking the setting up of the federation, they cautioned that the roadmap idea should not be undermined. According to Mwapachu, 97 per cent of respondents in Tanzania, 76 per cent in Uganda and 70 in Kenya want political federation but have warned against its being rushed. The Summit directed that the governments of newly admitted EAC member States Burundi and Rwanda undertake national consultations to gauge the people`s views on the establishment of an EA political federation. They also ordered the two countries to speed up the process of integrating fully in the EAC Customs Union. The EAC customs union began by setting common external tariffs for goods entering the region in January 2005 and is due to move towards a common market and a monetary union modelled on the European Union by 2012. It was also agreed at yesterday’s Summit that the EAC secretariat explore the possibility of achieving the threshold of the Customs union earlier, before developing a strategic framework for fast-tracking the establishment of a common market and a monetary union for consideration by the regional Council of Ministers and the next Summit. The Summit further ordered the secretariat to quickly propose an East African Industrial and Investment strategy supported by an institutional decision-making authority, with a view to promoting equitable industrial development in the region. With regard to the way the EAC should take in negotiating an EAC economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with European Union as a bloc, it was resolved that modalities of doing so gainfully be devised. The Summit also endorsed amendments to some provisions in the treaty establishing the EAC, as a way of facilitating the effective participation of the two new partner states in the Community`s various organs and institutions. Summit chairman Museveni said the history of humankind proved that nothing can be achieved without integration, adding that it was high time Africa faced the reality. Economic analysts predict that businesspersons and investors in EAC member states will be whetting their appetite following the recent admission of Burundi and Rwanda into the Community. Up for grabs will be an expanded region of 1.9 million square kilometers with a combined population of over 110 million people and a combined Gross Domestic Product of over US$41 billion. The two countries’ accession was formalised during the EAC’s Fifth Extraordinary Summit in Kampala and means that, like founding member States Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda have since this July 1 been participating in the Community’s deliberations not as observers but as fully-fledged members. This came about after the Presidents of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania signed Treaties of Accession to the eight-year-old bloc in respect of the two new member States. “The accession of Rwanda and Burundi to the East African Community treaty following their admission into the Community last November completes a missing link for our region,” noted President Kibaki, who was also the outgoing chairman of the EAC Head of State Summit. “The two countries are geographically, culturally and economically connected to this region, and we are therefore pleased to work closely with them in furthering the objectives of our community,” he pointed out, as he handed over the chair to President Museveni after the Summit. The admission of Rwanda and Burundi into the EAC is one of the most memorable moments for EAC since President Museveni and former presidents Ali Hassan Mwinyi of Tanzania and Daniel arap Moi of Kenya reached a landmark decision in 1993 to renew regional integration by launching the East African Cooperation. In 1999 President Museveni and former presidents Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and Moi signed the Treaty that transformed the East African Co-operation into the new-look East African Community, the first one having collapsed under political and other differences 30 years ago.
* SOURCE: Guardian


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Shirikisho Afrika Mashariki kutoharakishwa
Na Glory Mhiliwa, Arusha WAKUU wa nchi zinazounda Jumuia ya Afrika Mashariki kwa pamoja wamefikia uamuzi wa kutoharakishwa kwa Shirikisho la kisiasa la Afrika Mashariki. Hatua hiyo ilifikiwa jana jijini hapa, kutokana na maoni ya wananchi wengi wa Tanzania, Kenya na Uganda, ambapo asilimia kubwa imekataa uharakishwaji huo. Wakuu wa nchi zote kwa kauli moja walisema Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki litakwenda kulingana na mipango, badala ya kuharakishwa. Wananchi walio wengi walikubali Shirikisho la Afrika Mashariki lakini wakataa kuharakishwa. Akitoa uamuzi uliofikiwa jana na marais watano huku kwa Rwanda na Burundi ikiwa ni mara ya kwanza kushiriki, Mwenyekiti wa marais hao Rais Yoweri Museveni wa Uganda, alisema Shirikisho litakuwapo baada ya kukamilika kwa michakato ya soko la pamoja. Rais Museveni alisema kwa sasa wakuu wote kwa pamoja wamekubaliana uongozi wa Jumuia ya Afrika Mashariki chini ya Katibu Mkuu wake, Balozi Juma Mwapachu, kuhakikisha kuwa hadi mwaka 2010 soko la pamoja liwe limeimarishwa. Alieleza kuwa pia Jumuia inatakiwa kuhakikisha kuwa ifikapo mwaka 2012 sarafu ya pamoja ambayo itakuwa ikitumiwa kwa nchi zote tano mchakato wake pia uwe imekamilika. Katika mkutano huo, wakuu hao walikubali mapendekezo ya mawaziri wa viwanda biashara na uhusiano wa Afrika Mashariki kubadilisha baadhi ya vipengele vya mkataba wa uundwaji wa Shirikisho. Baadhi ya vipengele vilivyobadilishwa vya mkataba ni kinachoeleza kuwa muswada wowote wa Afrika Mashariki usainiwe na marais watatu. Aidha kipengele hicho kilichokuwa kinawawezesha marais watatu kusaini muswada wa Afrika Mashariki sasa watakuwa watano baada ya wawili wa Rwanda na Burundi kuongezeka. Pamoja na hilo, pia wakuu hao mkataba mpya wa wabunge utazihusisha nchi mbili mpya za Rwanda na Burundi badala ya tatu tu za awali. Kwa uamuzi wa wakuu hao, sasa Jumuia ya Afrika Masharikiinatakiwa kuhakikisha kuwa ifikapo mwaka 2012 sarafu moja itumike na soko la pamoja liimarishwe. Soko la pamoja linatazamia kuanza rasmi mwaka huu ambapo baadhi ya mikakati yake imekwishaanza kufanyiwa kazi.
Tuma kwa Rafiki

source: majira
Mtaa wa Lugoda, Eneo la Gerezani, Simu:2118381,2119893 Faksi:2128640, 2118382, Baruapepe:majira@majira.co.tz