How East Africa's political class betrayed its own people

The “sacred-promise” for East African citizens with the ambition of the East Africa Community leading Africa with its ambitious Vision 2050, is quickly being eroded by a reckless, fearful, power hungry political leadership. 

Recent East Africa political actions against its citizens is worrying. I would like to go as far back as possible because Uganda has been terrorising its citizens for decades now, as recently narrated in a “Poems from Prison – We Refuse to Be Victims” by Sam Mugumya, a Ugandan jailed in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Prison Militaire de Ndolo for eight years, arrested while seeking asylum.

East Africa citizens have become a pawn in the game of power politics, where military has moved from its barracks and is being used to harass, arrest and kill East Africans. The military, ordinarily meant to “defend its nation against external threats and ensuring internal security, enhance the safety of the nation’s social, economic, and political institutions against threats from other independent states” has moved in against its own citizenry.

In June and July 2024, Kenya unleashed its military into the streets where many patriotic Kenyans were murdered in cold blood as recently confirmed by a BBC documentary. In November 2024, Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye was abducted in Nairobi apparently by military officers, though civilian. He was later found in a Ugandan military prison.

In Tanzania, CHADEMA opposition leaders have been harassed and arrested, the party banned from participating in upcoming October elections and leader Tundu Lissu charged with treason. Tanzania unleashed its military on Kenyan human rights defender Boniface Mwangi and Ugandan advocate Agather Atuhaire. Tanzania also shamelessly deported party leader Martha Karua and Emeritus Chief Justice Dr Willy Mutunga among others. Who does this? 

Only fear can lead a collective political leadership of the Jumuiya to defiling the sacredness of the East Africa Community. Fear that the citizens are awakened. East Africans are no longer fearful. That East Africans understand their rights. That our dignity has been eroded for far too long, but we are taking our dignity and power back! 

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Back to our vision 2050; that articulates dreams and aspirations of the East Africa Peoples and makes a commitment to what “we the people” will do to achieve this grand vision – but how can we when those who we have delegated to guide us are busy looting, harassing and killing the very same East Africans? The valiant youth are being stopped from speaking out? Yet young people are culturally the “jamba” or warriors of their nations. 

Tanzania, once the most respected nation in East Africa, is unfortunately copying bad manners from other East African political leaders. It is not by accident that the East Africa Legislature, the East Africa Court of Justice and the Africa Court on Human & Peoples Rights are based in Arusha Tanzania. Why would current leadership want to undermine this legacy?  

The people of East Africa are not subjects, we are proud citizens, who should be treated with love and dignity. Our freedom of movement, expression and association is an inherent right, a God given right. It is what makes us humans, it is the centre of our existence. When we elect political leaders, we ‘sign’ a social contract of dignity, of respect, of humanity. When you take this away from your citizens, you have “resigned” from your obligations as leaders and are only holding onto power through fear.  We, citizens of East Africa Community are going to take back our power, our nations and our dignity. Treat us with dignity or ship out, before it is too late! 

-The writer is an international human rights defender