The just concluded East African Community summit in the Burundian capital Bujumbura, has revealed that the political leadership is more optimistic about the process than its citizens.

The summit also reveals that there is a lot of political will to see that the federation is achieved, come 2015. However, it yet again brought out the underlying challenges that the community is facing, further justifying the call from observers that the step toward forming one state should be greeted with “caution optimism.”

The optimism seems warranted because the EAC leaders have shown a consensus that trade and private sector investments are crucial inputs to sustained growth and development. But some caution regarding what to expect from the EAC is hardly surprising, as the collapse in 1977 of an earlier effort at regional integration, suggests that the road ahead is not straight forward, with numerous barriers left that must be overcome.

The EAC observers argue that factors that led to the collapse of the bloc in the 1970s are playing out differently at the moment and efforts to form a federation are being carried out under very different set of political and economic circumstances.

Catching up
They point out that the fast growth of Uganda and Tanzania in comparison to Kenya over the past 20 years, has not only narrowed the gap between them and their larger neighbour, but it has given these nations confidence in their competitive abilities.

On the political front, all three countries are much closer politically than they were 30 years ago. Changes in the economic structures of these countries and a growing middle class that has increasingly sophisticated product demands, suggest that the benefits from trade may be greater than earlier times when the commodity structures of all these countries were mainly agricultural.

“These three reasons may give us confidence that “This time is different when it comes to the gains that each country can capture from deeper regional integration,” Prof. Ethan Kapsteine, in a paper on the future of the integration, said.

While the observers say the integration this time is different, research shows that the citizens are skeptical and doubt that the changes are significant enough to give greater confidence that the East African integration will promote trade, investment and job creation in the years ahead.

Reports from experts hired to look into integration issues and the recommendations from the council of ministers that provide a road map for the way forward, have been largely adopted by political leaders.

The reports, however, show that citizens have a feeling that democratic deficits and lack of accountability that exists in some countries may be replicated at the regional level.
The fears and concerns registered by the populace were categorised into political, economic, legal and socio- cultural, among others.

From a political perspective, the East Africans are scared of losing their sovereignty. And since the 2015 political federation means creating one single state, it means partner states should prepare to cede some political powers.

On legal grounds, the people insist that there are many disparities in governance, probably the reason why Tanzania, the largest of all the states is taking a slow motion in signing most policies as developed by the states.

“I believe these are very pertinent issues and we should take them very seriously. When Burundi and Rwanda joined the community, there was a special programme for bringing them on board,” Ms Dora Byamukama, a Ugandan representative in East African Legislative Assembly, says.

Land wrangles
There is a fear that with the limited land in some states, some people may lose the little space they have. The fear to lose land therefore continues to be a sensitive issue and as the experts reported, “a potential source of conflict” when the countries finally federate.

Source: Daily Monitor

http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/-/688342/688342/-/eduqir/-/index.html

If companies look beyond someone’s disability and seize the potential of everyone who wants to work for them, they could benefit immensely.

A recent report from the International Labour Organisation: Disabled persons and employment, indicates that disabled persons comprise of more than 600 million of the seven billion people that make the global population.

“While many disabled persons are successfully employed and fully included in society, as a group, they face disproportionate poverty and severe unemployment,” the report reads in part.

“A lack of global data about their numbers and situation is only one piece of evidence supporting the discrimination and exclusion they often face. National data, when it exists, verifies the fact that people with disabilities, and especially women, are less likely to access education, training and employment of any kind.”
Some companies in Uganda are adopting employment of disabled persons in their policies.

“We strongly adhere to our human resource policy that does not discriminate against job seekers and employees on any grounds. We believe that including people with physical impairment in our workforce increases our pool of talent and skill,” Ms Brenda Kyasiimire, the human resource manager at Rwenzori Bottling Company Limited, says.

Recognised
Ms Barbra Gwosusa and MsFlorence Aguti have not had a fair share of life because both are deaf and dumb.
It is with their current job placements at Rwenzori Bottling that they are starting to realise their worth.

Ms Aguti studied in Arua District but later moved to Jinja District where she studied a tailoring course.

Tailoring was not earning her enough money to buy “beautiful shoes and jewelry” as the 29-year-old says through an interpreter Isaac Lukyamuzi. She later joined the teaching profession at Gayaza School for the Deaf tutoring primary one and two in sign language.

However, she did not give up on the job search. She applied for a vacancy at the company last September and luckily there was a vacancy that she is currently filling.

“My life is better now because of the good working conditions and relations I have with other employees. Everyone loves and cares for us,” Ms Aguti says. “I am more confident now and have realised that I can do anything that a normal person can do or even better.”

For the future, Ms Aguti dreams of meeting a good man who will love her for who she is.

Bitter side
Her colleague Ms Gwosusa has tasted the bitter side of being employed with a disability.

She studied in Ntinda School for the Deaf. However, she did not go beyond Senior Four because of school fees constraints. She was previously working as a caterer in a hotel in Wandegeya but could not stomach the oppression she was facing from some of her workmates and the Shs60,000 per month was so meagre.

“I was reduced to rubbish in that place. No one believed in me not even the managers,” she said, engrossed in deep thought.

Source: Daily Monitor

http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines