The East African Community (EAC) has for the longest time has been championing the integration of its people through social-economic activities with respect to their customs, religion and traditions.
Even though the integration has not yet fully been realised, the communities living along the borders of the EAC have continued to champion their own agendas of ensuring a peaceful coexistence.
The communities along the EAC border have always shared their social economic venture, customs and religion norms because of their shared identities through family ties. For instance, the community largely living around the borders of Muhuru Bay (Nyatike) and their counterparts from Shirati-Mara Tanzania are of Luo descent sharing family blood, customs and religion.
The same applies to the Kuria community residing at the border of Isebania (Kenya) and Sirare (Tanzania), and the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania at the Namanga border.
It is in this respect that recently the community around Muhuru Bay and adjacent villages joined their counterparts across the border in Tanzania for a festival where cultures, customs, traditions and religions were shared.
The Muhuru Bay delegation headed by the Nyatike South Deputy County Commissioner Anderson Ayuku explained during the occasion that the residents of Nyakite saw it wise to partner with their counterparts from Shirati-Mara Tanzania to develop international integration of cultures, customs, and peaceful coexistence.
The festival dubbed: Rorya Fursa Festival organized by residents of Shirati-Mara in Tanzania, 30 kilometres from the Muhuru Bay border post, showcased activities that involved agriculture, tourism and fishing, with the aim to encourage investors from both countries to invest in the region.
Mr. Ayuku who appreciated the invitation to the festival noted that the occasion will help to foster unity, harmony and peace as well as promote the social economic activities of the two border communities.
However, the administrator urged the two communities and the local administrators to maintain the momentum and allow the border communities to develop both economically and culturally even as they promote peace within the region.
He also mentioned that local administration along the border had met with the revenue authorities to streamline issues on collaboration to make the processes easier for doing inter-border business transactions.
“We agreed that our revenue authorities across the border should work together to maximize compliance and collaboration among the border communities on matters business,” he explained during a join-presser with KNA at the side-line of the festival.
The collaboration also extended to matters of fighting persons associated with illegal activities to make sure that they do not find refuge in both countries.
Fani Haule, a local administrator of Rorya District in North Mara- Tanzania expressed his gratitude to the Nyatike delegation for accepting the invitation from the Shirati community.
The administrator acknowledged that such activities would foster collaboration that would lead to economic development and strengthened relationships between the two border communities.
“We are one people separated by colonial boundaries but our hope lies on our continuous support in fostering and encouraging brotherhood and friendship”, stressed Haule.
The official also revealed that apart from social economic development, there was ongoing cooperation between the local administration along the border that will help solve challenges of the cross border like theft, illicit brew, counterfeits and marine issues in Lake Victoria.
The Rorya Fursa Festival which also organised a football tournament aimed to promote talent among the young, sponsors engagement and interaction as well as provides guidance on income-generating activities within the community.
“We have myriad challenges bedeviling cross border life but a positive cooperation among our local administration, the police, and marine services will help us ensure that any incidents are managed effectively”, affirmed Haule.
Football Kenya Federation-Migori Chairperson Paul Migwambo commended the partnership between the cross-border delegation stating that this initiative would lead to international integration of culture and customs.
Migwambo explained the importance of learning from each other as a means to foster understanding and peace. He added that the positive development shown between the two communities if implemented will speed up the EAC integration for the benefits of the regional block.
“The communities around the borders have always emphasised their unity, peace and love; a wonderful integration that needs to be escalated to the entire EAC region to fast- track our regional integration for the common good of more than 300 million people”, concluded Migwambo.
In March this year, The European Union (EU) Ambassador Ms. Henriette Geiger while paying a courtesy call to Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko said that the EU-funded One Stop Border Post at Isebania-Sirare Border along the Kenya- Tanzania will ease trade among the East Africa Community (EAC) Members.
Geiger encouraged the East Africa Community to emulate the European Union block to strengthen the economic aspect of individual countries, foster peace and unity and enhance free trade and movement of EAC people.
By George Agimba
