WHAT NEXT AFTER LIKELY EXIT OF DR MATHUKI FROM EAC?

BY GRACE MACHA IN ARUSHA

Disbelief engulfed the headquarters of the East African Community (EAC) on Friday last week following reports of imminent exit by its boss.

Dr Peter Mathuki (a Kenyan national) has, according to the  Kenya press, been nominated as Kenya ambassador to Russia by President William Ruto.

Should his appointment be endorsed by the Russian authorities, he would be the first EAC secretary general to exit the post before the end of the five year tenure.

Dr. Mathuki was appointed the EAC boss on February 27th, 2021 during the first Heads of State Summit held virtually due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

The SG is not only the head of the EAC secretariat, the executive organ of the Community, but the chief accounting officer of the regional body. 

He is also the secretary of the Summit of Heads of State and an ex-officio member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). 

According to the EAC Treaty, the secretary general is appointed by the Heads of State Summit and  shall serve a fixed five year non-renewable term. 

The recent official engagement of Dr. Mathuki before the nomination was announced by President Ruto's State House was at the on-going EALA sitting in Nairobi. 

The regional Assembly was debating the expenditure of $ 6million that has allegedly been spent but has not gone through mandatory appropriation in the House. 

Dr. Mathuki has worked in various East African institutions before he was appointed the EAC boss after his nomination by President Uhuru Kenyatta during the latter's administration.

At the time of his appointment (February 2021) he was the executive director of the East African Business Council (EABC), a regional business chamber with observer status to the EAC.

But it was during his five-year  (2012-2017) tenure as EALA member, that Dr. Mathuki got more visibility in the regional fora. 

At one time, he was the chairperson of the powerful EALA Committee on Legal, Rules and Privileges which spearheaded impeachment of the then EALA Speaker Ms Margaret Ssentongo Zziwa (2012-2014).

Before becoming a regional lawmaker, he briefly worked for a project under the East African Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) which is based in Arusha.

His ambassadorial nomination comes nearly three years after he took the reins of leadership at the regional bloc’s secretariat, replacing Burundi’s Liberat Mfumukeko.

According to EAC protocol, the eligible head of State nominates a candidate who is then approved by the Summit of Heads of State. 

The post is usually rotational among member states and the occupants serve for five years.

Reports from Nairobi say the Kenya government has proposed Caroline Mwende Mueke to replace Dr Mathuki for the remaining two years of service at the EAC.

The public policy expert has worked in various agencies and missions of the United Nations, including Unesco, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan.

Her appointment will have to be approved by the heads of State at a summit meeting.Dr Mathuki, who is the second Kenyan to occupy the SG’s seat after Francis Muthaura (1996-2001).

The nomination of Dr Mathuki as Kenya's envoy to Russia came as a shock to many staff members of  the EAC as this was the first time for the Community boss to exit before the end of tenure.

The previous SGs were Francis Muthaura (1996-2001), Nuwe Amanya Mushega (2001-2006), Juma Mwapachu (2006-2011), Richard Sezibera (2011-2016) and Liberat Mfumukeko (2016-2021).

Dr.Mathuki's nomination as ambassador comes at a time of possible impeachment over alleged misappropriation of funds at the secretariat.

The matter arose during the debate on President Ruto's speech, delivered on Wednesday last week during the inaugural session of EALA in Nairobi.

Reports quoted on The East African website cited concerns regarding the expenditure of over $ 6 million without the approval of the regional Parliament.

The matter was raised by EALA member from Uganda Dennis Namara, EALA MP from Uganda and chairperson of the finance sub-committee.

He said failure to seek approval of the House on the said expenditure was a flagrant violation of financial rules governing the Treaty establishing the EAC.

Reports on The East African newspaper website further said Dr. Mathuki, was present at the assembly but did not address the allegations against him.^