A new date is yet to be set for the East African Community’s Heads of State Summit that was cancelled a week ago.

However, there are reports that the Secretariat in Arusha will decide whether an urgent meeting should be held or wait until the Extra-Ordinary Summit slated for April next year.

The most pressing matter at the moment is the handing over of chairmanship by Kenya’ President Uhuru Kenyatta to his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete.

“The presidents don’t have to hold a Summit to hand over the chairmanship, even though the hand-over is a big deal. They may just agree to informally meet for the handing over but announce it during their April meeting,” said an official at the Secretariat.

“Also, President Kikwete may decide to leave it for Kenya to chair for two years in the event that he is not ready. This is the same case when a country declines to take over when it is not ready,” the source added.

This happened last year when Rwanda declined to take over from Uganda, saying that it had too many activities on its calendar, particularly the commemoration of 20 years after the genocide against the Tutsi. The chairmanship was then handed to Kenya, which was ready to take over.

Nairobi meeting

The EAC Heads of States Summit was postponed indefinitely. EAC secretary General Richard Sezibera said President Kikwete was recovering after a surgery in the US and could not attend the meeting. It is the first time in 15 years for a Summit to be cancelled at the eleventh hour.

Questions have been raised why the Secretariat or hosting country would invest money and time in planning for such an important if the Tanzania president had not recovered from the surgery.
The hosting country for the EAC Summit foots the bill of the meeting including the venue, dinner, transport and entertainment.