By Leo Odera Omolo In Karungu Bay

East African Community Council of Ministers has adopted a proposal by experts to strengthen the East African Court of Justice.

This move, according to legal experts, will enhance its jurisdiction to cover human rights to promote constitutionalism, good governance and rule of law in member states.

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi however have until December to examine the proposal that will promote the countries to the level of European Court of Human Rights with original jurisdiction on human rights, especially to determine how the envisaged protocol will impact on their national court systems.
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At the same time the council of minister, which had a busy schedule last week before the one day summit which brought together presidents of Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda ,Uganda and Burundi adopted other expert proposals turning the inter-Universities Council of East Africa (IUCEA) into a corporate body with legal power to regulate and penalize Universities in the region.

The IUCEA has also been authorized to penalized universities demanding higher fees for foreign students from within the East African Community (EAC)

And the minister’s in-charge of EAC integration masters in-charge from the five countries have also adopted a draft frame work proposing the Bureau of speakers as one of the community newest organs. It is besides business and professional institutions, a separate export frame work to enable member state taster joint partnership to fight corruption transnational crime, entrench democracy, good governance and human rights in the member states.

The Arusha based East African Court of Justice has united to ensuring adherance to the EAC treaty

It was during the last weeks EAC summit that presidents Mwai Kibaki of Kenya and the Ugandan counter parts president Yoweri Musevenin struck a deal that would resolve the volatile Migingo Island dispute.

Agreement was reached between the two presidents on the sideline of the East African Community Heads of states summit to ended in Arusha last Wednesday

Head of police forces in both Kenya and Uganda Maj-Gen Hussein Ali and Inspector General of police Kale Kayihura, will keep in timely “to ensure that law and order is maintained,” said the report that is silent on the presence of Uganda marine police and military forces on the Island joint communiqué issued after 30 minutes discussion committed the two leaders and nations to resolve the row “amicably” and in the spirit of East African Solidarity and partnership.

But Kenyans and Ugandans may wait for two more months to know the result of joint demarcation that will draw border.

It urges the joint commission to “conclude its work expeditiously and in ay case not later than 60 days from the date of this communiqué.

It further read: Pending the completion of the joint boundary survey exercise, the Ugandan flag on Migingo shall remain lowered.

On Thursday last week Ugandan authority lowered its national flag which hosted on Migingo Island. Some of Ugandan Soldiers has parked them bags out left in one book which took them to Bugiri ldistrict in Uganda to the delight of Kenyan fishermen operating on the Island. This was only a day after the Arusha meeting between Kibaki and Museveni

The Arusha communiqué further read “The joint boundary team will rely on the British order of council of 1926, Kenyan independence constitution and Ugandas 1995 charter to draw the international frontiers

Kenyan fisherman, however, were surprised the only aday after the lowering of the Ugandan flag on Migingo, Ugandan has allegedly sent 13 soldiers to the Island and tightened security on surrounding beaches.

Fisherman and religious leaders’ criticized the new turn of extents, Nyanza National council of churches of Kenya Chairman Joshua Koyo said: They have replaced the flag with more soldiers. This to unfortunate.

Although it was not reflected in the statement sources at the Arusha meeting said the two presidents discussed the recent ban of Uganda milk imports into Kenya and resolved to resume trade.

Former President Daniel Moi has called for quick resolution of re-dispute and said the tribute undermined Kenya’s territorial in 2005.

The situation remained pathetic as ever before with Ugandan security personnel still playing the leading role in unilaterally patrolling the Island to the chagrins of Kenyans fishermen and local politicians MPs included.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com

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Date: Sat, 2 May 2009 08:53:26 -0700 [05/02/2009 10:53:26 AM CDT]
From: Leo Odera Omolo
Subject: KIBAKI, MUSEVENI DEAL OVER MIGINGO ISLAND FLOPPED AS KAMPALA ONLY LOWERED ITS FLAG BUT BEEFED UP ITS SECURITY FORCES A FRESH