Writes Leo Odera Omolo
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has asked leaders of the East African Community (EAC) states to consider energy and infrastructure as the number one priority in transforming the region.
Museveni’s call came after Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda ratified the common market protocol. Burundi is yet to approve it.
The protocol will permit free movement of labour, capital and services.
Addressing over 2,000 business people at the 3rd East African Investment Conference at the Speke Resort Munyonyo yesterday, Museveni said if the region sorts out its electricity and railway system, the annual growth rate can improve by about 13%. Currently the region’s growth rate is at 7%.
“In the last forty years, there has been no railway built in Africa except the Tazara in Tanzania. Awareness of the crucial role played by electricity and the railway is the core of the renaissance of Africa,” Museveni said.
The region needs about $74b to revive the roads, railway and water systems.
This money is almost equal to the region’s GDP, which stands at about $75b.
Museveni urged the partner states to unite and rebuild the region’s infrastructure.
Earlier, Tanzanian minister of the EAC and chairperson of the Council of Ministers, Dr. Diodorus Kamala, had said financing the railway and road master plan remained a challenge, and private-public partnership was the best option.
Museveni said the engineering department of the Ugandan army would kick-start the rebuilding of the railway network.
“When we go to the private sector, they quote exorbitant prices. Why can’t we rebuild the railways ourselves?” Museveni asked.
According to experts, the absence of a vibrant railway system in Africa has been one of the greatest economic tragedies of the continent.
The strength of East Africa is the abundance of high value mineral deposits like those of gold, copper and oil. These require cheap and abundant electricity and the railway for processing and transporting, Museveni said.
“Let us deal with the real issues which are keeping this region in poverty,” he advised.
Commenting on the growth of the region, Uganda’s minister of the EAC Eriya Kategaya, said foreign direct investments to the EAC had increased from $693m in 2002 to $1.7b in 2008.
“The most rewarding achievement is the intra-East Africa trade,” he added
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
I have a concern about trend of affairs in the EAC more especially with regard to political integration in the future.
One thing is latent in the would be leadership of this unification, and this involves H.E. Lt.Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda.
All signs are that Museveni is on a blueprint to become the first king of this sub-continent. He is determined and is on a drawing board and is not even known whether others watch this carefully.
Museveni a once guerrila combatant could have only feared celebrity like the late Mwl. Nyerere who had the guts to silence and reduce to nothing [low profile] those who wanted to rise through barbaric means that could have turnished the image of independent Africa and destabilize her peace, tranguility and progress.
Recent geological expert reports of Uganda’s affluence in liquid gold [oil] makes Museveni heady and has reportedly started importing heavy duty ultra-modern air fighters for unknown ends and that which even the neighbours bother not to be vigilant about the project.
Museveni’s trait is beyond tolerance. In no way he would convince any reasonable mind that he is serene whilst the world has entered him in its record of war loving lot and has vowed to remain alert and cautious of him considering his questionable international relations. He has ever had soured diplomatic ties with his neighbours with whom he is trying to form an integration [EAC] e.g. Rwanda, DRC, Kenya, Southern Sudan which does not qualify him to be a truely peoples’ leader [he is a least peace maker but more of a trouble maker].
The bully Museveni is dreaming and determined to become an East African superpower at a time when his colleagues in the intergration easily let this go without questioning it for their own individual countries destiny.