By Bida Elly David
The Executive Director of the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) has called on the EAC community parliamentarian to use the ongoing tournament as a mechanism to embrace peace rather than breaking the region apart.
South Sudan capital city, Juba is hosting Inter-parliamentary games of East African Community with direct participation of the law makers for East African Community Legislative Assembly and members’ state legislative assemblies.
Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) views the conduct of East African Inter-parliamentary games as practical and human integration of the citizens of the region. This is act that should be embraced always
In a statement extended to No.1.Citizen Daily Newspaper yesterday, Mr. Edmund Yakani, Executive Director of CEPO said that it is essential that the East African Community Law Makers and the law makers from the member states utilize the inter-parliamentary games as an opportunity of promoting peace and stability in the region.
He said that any regional integration that pays less attention to realization of peace and stability in one of its member states is likely to be a failed integration.
Activist pointed out that the political violence in Democratic Republic of Congo and some parts of South Sudan have direct contribution of undermining the regional integration.
Yakani suggested that the East African Community Lawmakers at East African Community Legislative assembly and member states legislative assemblies should take a stock of advocating and lobbying for realization of peace and stability in D.R.C and South Sudan
“The trend of the rebels in D.R.C dishonoring the ceasefire deal reached is unaccepted act and the East African Community law makers during the inter-parliamentary sessions of closing session speeches to speak to this matter. Happiness of East Africa Community Law Makers during inter-parliamentary games in the face of some of the regional citizens facing armed violence in DRC and South Sudan is meaningless,’’ Mr. Yakani stressed
At the same note, CEPO reiterated need for the East African Community Lawmakers at EALA and member states assemblies to sincerely ensure that matters associated with the shrinking civic space is addressed and all actions that contributed for shrinking civic space should be restricted.
“For South Sudan let these inter-parliamentary games create a new spirit of abolishing all forms of discriminations against the citizens from EAC region across South Sudan” he said CEPO finally urged the leadership of East African Community Legislative Assembly and member states legislative assemblies to embrace the call for peace and stability in DRC and South Sudan including unrestrictive civic space.