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Search on for replacement for Burundi in EAC leadership

Saturday February 27 2016
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Presidents Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi (left) and Uganda's Yoweri Museveni at an EAC Summit. President Museveni is not regarded a neutral arbiter in the Burundi crisis. PHOTO | FILE

The East African Community chairmanship and the Burundi mediation team are expected to take centrestage during the heads of State Summit set for Arusha on March 2.

A source at the EAC Secretariat said that there are three proposals to be tabled for the presidents.

One is that Kenya take over both the EAC chairmanship and automatically becomes the lead mediator in Burundi’s peace talks. The second is that Tanzania extends its term until Burundi is ready, just as Kenya did for Tanzania in 2014 when President Jakaya Kikwete was hospitalised abroad.

But its adoption is subject to President John Magufuli’s readiness to take up more regional responsibilities, with sources indicating he wants to concentrate on internal matters for now.

The third proposal is that Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni take over the EAC chairmanship and relinquish the mediation role in the Burundi peace talks, given Bujumbura’s fears that he is not a neutral arbiter.

“Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni is accused of not delivering since he was appointed the lead EAC mediator in Burundi last year,” said the source.

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In December last year, Burundian civil society questioned President Museveni’s credentials in mediating in Burundi’s peace talks, having himself sought a fifth term in this year’s elections, and changed the Constitution to allow him to secure a third term in 2005.

“Kenya and Tanzania are viewed as the neutral parties compared with Rwanda and Uganda,” said the source.

Rwanda is unlikely to become the EAC chair with its current sour relationship with Burundi.

The EAC chair, currently held by Tanzania, is supposed to go to Burundi but Burundi has relinquished the position based on its current political status.

“President Nkurunziza is unlikely to attend the summit and will instead send his vice president. Under the EAC Treaty, the EAC chairmanship cannot be handed over to a country in the absence of a sitting president and so Tanzania cannot hand over to Burundi,” the source said.

During a preparatory meeting early last week President Nkurunziza had agreed to attend the summit but this position changed after another meeting on Thursday, with no reason given.

It is also Burundi’s turn to nominate a citizen to the position of secretary-general when Richard Sezibera’s term ends in April 2016. Even though Kenya is gearing up to take over from Rwanda, Burundi is sending mixed signals on its interest in leading the secretariat.

READ: Burundi to vie for EAC Secretary General

ALSO READ: Kenya eyes EAC post as Burundi in doubt

“The decision on this will be made by the heads of state,” said the source.

All the proposals appear meant to accommodate Burundi’s wishes because under the rotational leadership provided for in the EAC Treaty Bujumbura should take both chairmanship and secretary generalship.

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