The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has been confirmed by the East African community to be the incoming Chairman of the East African Community for the next two years term. He has been appointed as a substitute for the outgoing President Kaguta Museveni of Uganda.

This announcement was made during the extraordinary 20th summit of the EAC members states in Tanzania on February 1st, 2019.

THE BIG PICTURE: The announcement of Kagame Chairmanship of the EAC arrives at a time where there are simmering frosty ties between Rwanda and Burundi, between Rwanda and Uganda. Analysts say that this Kagame tenure maybe not at all good for some EAC member states.

Some may ask if these simmering frosty ties between Burundi and Uganda and between Uganda and Rwanda, between Rwanda and Burundi, may not result for some EAC member states in skipping some EAC activities as it has been observed in recent days when Burundi or Rwanda has canceled the attendance of the EAC activity which is done in one country.

Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda frosty ties.

Recently, Burundi security ministry released a statement saying that Rwanda authorities do not allow the cars transporting goods and people coming from Burundi to enter Rwandan territory.

Burundi security said that it has been observing this in Cibitoke Province(North-Western Burundi) for a month that there is some sort of standstill on the border with Rwand

Burundi has also banned the business of exporting some crops to Rwanda from Burundi from 2015 when the Burundi crisis erupted in 2015.

Rwanda and Uganda relations are on the verge of deteriorating despite the fresh for better relations between and Uganda by the Foreign Minister of Rwanda, Sezibera.

Rwanda and Uganda are in some sort of retaliation by arrest either Rwandans in Uganda and face deportation back to Rwanda. Rwanda has called for the end of these unwarranted arrests and deportations to Rwanda.

Paul Kagame determined to do what is best in his new tenure.

President Kagame said his focus will be to enhance manufacturing, infrastructure development, improving healthcare provision and strengthening security systems to deal with cross-border security threats, especially terrorism and violent extremism, reports Daily Nation.

The 20th EAC summit is themed around Enhancing Economic, Social and Political Integration of the East African Community.

The summit has brought together Presidents from all six member states of the EAC to discuss the community’s progress in key sectors including integration.

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