EAC has appointed a woman to head its Secretariat as Secretary General (SG). It is in this respect that the recent appointment of Kenya’s Veronica Mueni Nduva as EAC-SG can be seen as truly revolutionary and groundbreaking.
Her appointment does not just mark a significant milestone in the pursuit of gender equality in the region’s boardrooms and institutions. It is now recognised that diversity is a key aspect of good governance. This is why organisations are encouraged to promote inclusion of all sorts of people regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, sexual orientation, and gender. By appointing Ms Nduva to the top echelons of leadership, East Africa has shown willingness to address one more ground on which discrimination often takes place – that of gender.
The rotational nature of top positions in the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat as well as the Organs and Institutions of the Community is now a well-known affair. With an almost religious zeal, countries have come to respect the right of participation of all partner states, big and small. While that is to be commended, this same zeal remains to be seen in other important aspects.
For instance, despite having existed for more than two decades, it is only now that the EAC has appointed a woman to head its Secretariat. Sworn-in during the 23rd Extra-Ordinary Meeting of the EAC Heads of State that was held virtually and chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit of South Sudan, Ms Nduva has her work clearly cut out.
She will take courage in the fact that quite a number of other women in the region hold leadership positions. They include Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Kenya’s Chief Justice Martha Koome.
Gender studies have shown that women often look at issues quite differently from men; this means that their inclusion in top leadership not only ensures their fair representation, but also enhances the quality of decision-making processes. Women leaders also often bring attention to issues that may otherwise be overlooked – such as maternal health, education for girls, and protection against gender-based violence. Their inclusion can only be good for the region.
This still leaves a lot to be done in not only entrenching gender inclusivity across all cadres and institutions of the community, but also in addressing the other grounds affecting minorities in which the Community falls short. It is well known that the region includes all races, for instance; where merit is considered, greater inclusivity demands that East African Asians, whites, and everyone else be equally considered. It is often overlooked that some individuals within these minorities played a critical role in the freedom struggle, for example, and continue to do so in our economies. They are no less citizens of the region.
Uganda’s decision to go on high alert after the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just a national concern—it is a wake-up call for the entire EAC.
With 15 people already dead and more cases suspected in Kasai province, the danger of the virus crossing into neighbouring countries is real. The DRC’s history with Ebola highlights the severity of the threat. Since 1976, the country has experienced 16 outbreaks, highlighting the fragility of its health systems. Weak infrastructure and porous borders have made containment more difficult.
Uganda’s health officials, led by Henry Kyobe Bosa, have admitted that free movement between the two countries complicates matters. But Uganda can’t face this alone. The bigger question is: Where does the EAC stand?
For years, the EAC has been loud about regional integration in trade, infrastructure and politics. Yet when it comes to health security, the region remains disunited. The Ebola crisis is not new. During the 2014–2016 outbreak in West Africa, East Africa was spared—largely by luck and quick local measures. But luck isn’t a plan. If we are serious about building a united region, then health must be at the very centre of integration.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has long warned that disease outbreaks will grow more in today’s world. With a growing population and busy borders across the region, we cannot afford to stay unaware. If we can harmonise Customs laws and negotiate trade as one bloc, why not epidemic preparedness? Imagine a regional rapid-response team, shared medical resources and real-time data systems. Such measures could stop a local outbreak from being a regional disaster.
Beyond saving lives, health security is also about protecting our economies. An Ebola outbreak would scare off tourists, disrupt cross-border trade, and strain over-fragile healthcare systems. Billions spent on infrastructure would count for little if the region is constantly being damaged by epidemics.
The EAC must therefore treat health threats with the same urgency it gives to peace and security. Uganda has raised the alarm. The question is whether the region will act together or leave each country to fight on its own. True integration is not only measured in goods cleared at borders or highways and railways built; it is also measured by how East Africans stay united when life and death are on the line.
