Arusha. Extension of jurisdiction of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) and progress of negotiations for the East African Monetary Union are among major issues to be discussed during the regional leaders’ summit here on April 28.
The EAC Extra-ordinary Summit will also appoint a new bloc’s deputy secretary general from Kenya to replace Dr Julius Tangus Rotich whose two three-year tenure expires this month. He has been holding the position since July 2007.
The name of the official has not been made public. “Kenya government has already nominated a candidate for the job, but we cannot reveal it until an appropriate time,” an official of the community told The Citizen on Saturday over the phone yesterday.
The candidate’s name will have to be presented to the extra-ordinary meeting of the EAC Council of Ministers, the policy organ of the community for endorsement before it is forwarded to the Heads of State for approval and swearing in.
This will be the first summit of leaders of the bloc to be attended by President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was recently elected to the position.
In addition, the summit will consider progress report on negotiations for the establishment of two protocols - the EAC Monetary Union and the EAC Bureau of Speakers.
On extension of the jurisdiction of the EACJ, the Arusha-based secretariat said in a brief statement that the five presidents of Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda will be briefed on the progress made with regards to their directive to extend the powers of the regional court.
The proposal to extend the jurisdiction of the court, which is the judicial arm of the community, has been on cards for some years. There has been suggestions that it should be extended to cover crimes against humanity.
The proposal was first mooted by the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) and that it had to be done through amendment of the EAC Treaty. The Court has mainly been mandated to determine or arbitrate disputes on cooperation among Partner States.
During the 10th extra-ordinary Heads of State Summit held here in April last year, the regional leaders directed the EAC Secretariat to work on the issue and see how the policy and legal aspects would weigh on the desired extension of powers of the court.
EACJ was formally inaugurated on November 30, 2001. Article 27 of the EAC Treaty also provides the possibility for extension of the jurisdiction of the court at a suitable subsequent date to include “such other original, appellate, human rights and other jurisdiction as will be determined by the Council”.
However, EACJ officials have repeatedly claimed that efforts to extend the jurisdiction of the EAC have been spurned by the Partner States for fear human rights campaigns could usurp some of their powers.
Human rights jurisdiction was also opposed by officials on the premise that the Partner States already subscribe to the African Court on Human and People’s Rights which is based in Arusha.
During the last ordinary summit in Nairobi, the EAC heads of state directed the Council of Ministers to expedite negotiations towards the conclusion of the Monetary Union Protocol with a view to signing it in the subsequent meeting.
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