Judicial chiefs meet in Kigali

KIGALI - Chief Justices from the East African Community, (EAC) Partner States are meeting today in Kigali to discuss the regional framework on good governance. The draft framework will either be adopted as a protocol or will remain just a framework and the Chief Justices are expected to add their input at this meeting. The host Chief Justice Aloysie Cyanzaire and Chief Justices Benjamin Odoki from Uganda, Kenya’s Johnson Gicheru, Augustino Ramadhani of Tanzania and Adrien Nyankiye of Burundi and other high ranking officials in the EAC judiciary will attend the two-day meeting. According to the Permanent Secretary in the Supreme Court, Anne Gahongayire, the meeting is aimed at reviewing the fundamental principles to do with the rule of law and justice within the regional bloc. She said that the judiciary heads will also discuss other issues including human rights and equal opportunities; preventing and combating corruption, enhancing ethics and integrity; and upholding the rule of law and justice. Gahongayire noted that the meeting will be an opportunity to seek ways of implementing recommendations of the framework. She added that the meeting will also seek ways to stimulate institutional and capacity development through policies and mechanisms that ensure good governance, democracy, protection of human rights, and promotion of the rule of law. “The discussion will revolve on how these recommendations can be transformed into actions. The framework is part of the principles of the EAC,” said Gahongayire. In a bid to lay a foundation for the yet to be approved Political Federation, the East African Community (EAC) developed a regional framework that will help promote good governance in the region. The framework revolved around four pillars that include democracy and harmonization of democratization processes; promotion and protection of human rights and equal opportunities; preventing and combating corruption, enhancing ethics and integrity; and upholding the rule of law and justice. Ends

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Judicial chiefs meet in Kigali