Terrorists, thieves lead the way in Common Market

Security officers in Uganda on Wednesday presented four men who allegedly masterminded the twin bomb attacks that killed nearly 80 people who were watching the World Cup finals in Kampala on July 11.

Some of the men admitted to working with the hardline Somali Islamist group Al-Shabaab that claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Nearly three weeks ago, Kenya Police came to the aid of their Ugandan counterparts, when they handed over to them three Kenyans suspected of involvement in the attacks.

It is heartening to see such a level of visible co-operation between Ugandan and Kenyan investigators.

This is because, as we have observed before, East African Community governments and businesses are lagging behind the criminals on regional co-operation.

East African car thieves and boat robbers on Lake Victoria have been exploiting the increasing freedom of movement in the region to steal from one country and sell in another.

Now the July 11 Kampala bombings have exposed a Greater East African network stretching from Somalia down to Mombasa, across Kenya westward to Kampala, and beyond.

Going by what Uganda and Kenyan authorities are saying, this network is big and highly organised.

Much bigger and better organised than the car and boat stealing ones.

The bad guys established regional co-operation and a common market before the good guys.

At this rate, East African criminals will have a common currency and a political federation ahead of the EAC governments.

We should not lock away the terrorists and thieves and be content.

We should also try to understand why they are successful, and use that knowledge to make honest profits.

Terrorist need communication to organise.

The July 11 terrorist attacks have reminded us that East Africa has the continent’s most seamless cross-border phone networks, and that you can organise something big over it other than just talk about the outcome of weekend English Premier League games.

If the barriers to organising terrorist attacks are so low, surely the ones to doing legitimate business must be even lower.

Secondly, all the Somali, Kenyan, and Ugandan plotters of July 11 have one thing in common — they are radical Muslims.

However, when we talk about the “EAC structures,” we never mention religion.

The terrorists have now taught us that religion, or more specifically the mosques and churches, can be a good distribution channel for East African sentiment, goods, and services. Now, I would never have dreamt of that one.

Thirdly, with the launch of the East African Common Market still just a few weeks old, the terrorists have taught us that it is those who move first and fast who will succeed.

The next group of terrorists planning a pan-East African attack is more likely to be caught than the ones who set off the bombs in Kampala.

Likewise, new businesses that will succeed from the new Common Market are the ones that will move today, and not wait until the field is crowded.

The cloud of East African Terrorism Inc has a silver lining after all. It proves that the East African Community works and is full of opportunities.

Charles Onyango-Obbo is Nation Media Group’s executive director for Africa & Digital Meida. E-mail: cobbo@nation.co.ke