President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has reignited the longstanding debate on the unification of East African states into a federation, emphasizing the necessity of enhanced regional relations amidst an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape. Speaking today at State House in Nairobi, President Museveni indicated that is the strategic importance of regional security and collaboration.
Reflecting on historical missed opportunities, President Museveni lamented the failure to establish the East African Federation in 1963, suggesting that the region has forfeited decades of potential progress as a result.
“If we had formed the East Africa Federation in 1963, many of the problems that we have now would have been avoided,” Museveni remarked, referencing tumultuous events such as the reign of Idi Amin Dada in Uganda and the Rwandan genocide.
Advocating for a unified approach, Museveni asserted, “Our agenda is to create one government of East Africa.” As the longest-serving President among East African Community (EAC) Heads of State, he stressed the need for the EAC to fulfill its objective of establishing a single sovereign state.
Museveni argued that such consolidation is essential for the protection and prosperity of the region’s populace, reinforcing the urgency of this initiative in the current geopolitical climate. People have reacted differently concerning the matter.