EAC Roots for Harmonisation of Drug Abuse Laws

Gashegu Muramira

2 June 2011

Kampala — The East African Community (EAC) Deputy Secretary General (Political Federation), Beatrice Kiraso, has called for uniform legislation of laws that will prohibit the use of drugs in the region.

Kiraso made the call during a meeting of regional directors of Criminal Investigation Departments in Kampala, Uganda yesterday.

“In Tanzania, chewing and growing of Khat is not allowed while in Uganda and Kenya, it is. This is not right for us to have disparities in our laws on drug abuse,” Kiraso said.

She called on participants to identify centres in their respective partner states that can be equipped and used to enhance research in combating crime in the region.

“We shall spearhead resource mobilisation, but we need endorsement from your agencies,” Kiraso said.

The EAC official observed that there are still police officers in the region who extort money from traders, adding that the practice makes doing business difficult in East Africa.

Uganda’s Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura, commended the ongoing efforts to ensure Chiefs of Police from the region cooperate in combating trans-boundary crime.

He, however, expressed the need for high technology equipment like scanners at border posts to help trace criminals easily.

“We need to ask ourselves which capabilities we should put in place jointly in combating crime,” he said.

Kiraso announced that the EAC will, mid this month, hold a refugees and immigration conference aimed at managing refugees in a better manner.

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