Peter Mathuki, a former Kenyan member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), has taken over from Lilian Awinja, his compatriot, as theExecutive Director of the East African Business Council (EABC). According to the EABC Secretariat, Awinja resigned in her capacity as executive director of the regional apex body of the private sector in the EAC partner states. A statement from the Secretariat states that the EABC Board of Directors represented by its Chairman, Nicholas Nesbitt, after internal deliberations, appointed Mathuki as acting executive director of EABC Secretariat, effective October 1, 2018. The Board of Directors noted that they were pleased that Mathuki had agreed to step in as acting executive director and take over all duties with immediate effect. “We are convinced that his expertise and network will play a key role in strengthening the secretariat to advocate and support our vision of a borderless East Africa for business and investment,” said EABC director John Bosco Rusagara. Mathuki served as a member of the EALA from 2012 to 2017 where he served on two standing committees. “I am looking forward to restore the energy in the regional integration process, which is supposed to be business driven and people centered,” said Mathuki. editorial@newtimes.co.rw