The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Rwanda-Uganda impasse
Emmanuel Sebijjo, the Programs Director at The African Institute of Regional Integration Studies (AIRIS), an organisation whose focus is on the education of the legal, economic, policy and business aspects of regional integration in Africa, says the EAC should take pride in its institutions such as the East Africa Court of Justice (EACJ) which can always come in to resolve disputes.
Sebijjo refers to the border closure as a “small hump” in the grand scheme of things. “It has not lasted more than a year and you have seen it opening up recently.”
Sebijjo was referring to the recent decision to open the border for movement of heavy trucks. However in a statement, Rwanda Revenue Authority, said the border would only be open for a period of less than a fortnight, from June 10 to June 22, 2019.
Sebijjo says the EACJ has the potential to end the conflict between the two states which some analysts refer to as more of a clash of egos between former comrades; Museveni and Kagame, and more critically a delicate relationship between the two nations dating from when and how the two regimes came in place.
He posits that the East African Court should be the arbiter ultimately. “Countries do not want to be pointed at by an international court.”
Sebijjo perhaps as someone who works for an institute wishes for the inculcation of international norms in a region known more for its revolutionary figures and loose pacts.
In reality though, some institutions such as the Arusha-based East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) seemed to have steered clear of the border incident.
Abdullah Hasnuu Makame, an MP in EALA representing Tanzania, told The Independent that there have not been “strong discussions” on the border closure. “This is more of an issue for the Executive, or the Heads of State Summit to resolve. It can also be handled by the Council of Ministers.”
“We have specialisation and division of labour and for us in EALA, this is not our issue.”
