East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanzania; 07 April 2017:
The East African Community Council of Ministers has appointed 31 East Africans to various positions at the EAC Secretariat.

The 35th Meeting of the Council which met at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania from 30th March-4th April, 2017 also appointed three (3) members of staff to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and one to the East African Court of Justice (EACJ).

The Council further appointed four officers to the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, and one officer each to the East African Science and Technology Commission and the East African Health Research Commission.

The appointments to the Secretariat will address a biting staff shortage at the Secretariat which was occasioned by the departure of 26 members of staff due to retirement either on attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 years or the expiry of their fixed term contracts.

The appointments were made after interviews conducted by the EAC Ad Hoc Service Commission which draws Commissioners from Public Service Commissions in the Partner States.

Among the appointees is Mr. Kenneth Apollo Bagamuhunda as the Director General, Customs and Trade to replace Mr. Peter Kiguta who retired on 1st December, 2016. Mr. Bagamuhunda was previously the Director of Customs at the Secretariat.

Mr. Kamugisha Kazaura is the new Director, Infrastructure replacing Mr. Philip Wambugu whose contract expired on 1st February, 2017.

Ms. Ruth Mtoi Simba is the new Director, Human Resources and Administration replacing Mr. Joseph Edison Ochwada who exited the Secretariat on 19th March, 2017. Ms. Simba was until her appointment the Principal Human Resource Officer.

Professional staff at the EAC are recruited on a five-year term, renewable once subject to a mandatory retirement age of 60 years.

The Council resolved that the appointments take effect from 4th April, 2017 and directed the Secretariat to conduct due diligence for the successful candidates before confirmation of their appointments.

The Council further directed the EAC Secretariat to ensure that an induction programme is conducted before the appointed staff assume office.

Full list of the appointed staff is available here

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For more information, please contact:

East African Community
EAC Close, Afrika Mashariki Road
P.O. Box 1096
Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania
Tel: +255 (0)27 216 2100
Fax: +255 (0)27 216 2190
Email: eac [at] eachq.org

About the East African Community Secretariat:

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

East African Community Secretariat; Arusha, Tanznaia; 07 April 2017:
The 35th EAC Council of Minister’s meeting has directed Partner States to commence issuance the New EA e-Passport by 31st January 2018, after the consideration of the different status of preparedness by the Partner States during their recent meeting in Arusha.

The Council directives came on the backdrop of the 17th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State directed the Partner States to commence issuance of the New EA e-Passport by 1st January, 2017 and implement the phase out programme for the current machine readable East African and National Passports from 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2018.

According to the 35th EAC Council of Minister’s report, Republic of Burundi reported that through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement had completed the process of procuring the EA e-Passport booklets and is ready to commence issuance by 3rd April 2017.

The Republics of Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda reported to commence issuance of the New International EA e-passport not later than April 2017 while the United Republic of Tanzania will be ready to commence the issuance of EA e–Passport by 1st January 2018.

EA e-Passport is expected to boost free movement of people across the region and it will be in line with implementation of the Common Market protocol which guaranteed the right to move between countries in East Africa.

The EAC e–Passport will have Diplomatic, Service and Ordinary categories and is different from the current machine readable passport being issued by the Partner States. It will be valid for up to 10 years while the Diplomatic passport and service passport will be valid according to specific term of the service of the holder.

The standard international e-Passport will have a chip that holds the same information that is printed on the passport’s data page, the holder’s name, date of birth, and other biographic information. It will also contains a biometric identifier and have a digital photograph of the holder and security features to prevent unauthorised reading or “scanning” of data stored.

The new EAC travel document will come in red, green and sky blue —the colours of the EAC flag — but with text and national emblems, in gold to complete its face.The colour of the passport will depend on categories. For instance, EAC diplomats will carry a passport that is red in colour, green for officials and sky blue for ordinary people.

The outer front cover will have the words ‘East African Community’ in gold on top and below the name of the issuing Partner States will be pasted.

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For more information, please contact:

Mr Owora Richard Othieno
Head, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Department
EAC Secretariat
Arusha, Tanzania
Tel: +255 784 835021
Email: OOthieno [at] eachq.org

About the East African Community Secretariat:

The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation of five Partner States, comprising Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.