At least 73 per cent of Rwandans are aware of the East African Community (EAC), way above the rates in Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania, according to a new survey.The survey, conducted by Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA), also indicates that 90 per cent of local institutions understand the EAC integration process.Burundi comes second with a general population awareness level of 66 per cent, followed by Tanzania (65 per cent), while Kenya lags behind at 46 per cent.In Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi, the surveys were conducted between September and November, 2011, while in Tanzania, the research was carried out between August and October 2010.According to Nelson Karanja, Senior Communications Manager at TMEA Headquarters in Nairobi, the survey in Uganda is still ongoing, but a 2009 survey there had put the awareness level at 32 per cent.In Rwanda, the survey, which was conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of EAC Affairs, shows that the awareness is more about general understanding of the bloc, including membership and protocols.“Across the board, statistics indicate a significant lack of awareness about specificities of EAC among East African citizens,” Karanja told The New Times yesterday.For instance, the report says, many respondents did not differentiate between the EAC Common Market and Customs Union.The survey sampled 851 individuals and 150 institutions from all provinces and the City of Kigali. The country programmes director of Trade Mark East Africa, John Bosco Kalisa, highlighted the importance of the integration process to the citizens. “What we need now is the integration to go deep down to individual citizens. The ministry (in charge of EAC) and other actors should now move to leverage the increase awareness...it is an opportunity that should be exploited,” he said.On the general public perception, 34 per cent of respondents are “very optimistic” about benefiting from integration while 30 per cent are “positive about the free movement of goods from one country to another, job opportunities, economic benefits and market access”.However, some Rwandans believe that the integration process might negatively impact on them, with some fearing that the free entry of the other EAC citizens might pose a security threat, while others feared they could be subject of harassment in other partner states, and entry of substandard goods into the country.Interestingly, some citizens think that Libya and the Democratic Republic of Congo are members of EAC, hence the need for more sensitisation among the public, according to the findings.On the Common Market protocol, the survey shows that 59 per cent of individuals interviewed acknowledge the presence of the EAC Common Market and believe it would positively impact their lives through a reduction in commodity prices, free movement of goods and services, and more products on the shelves.However, 23 per cent are not aware of the presence of the Common Market, while 18 per cent have no idea about the impact of the Common Market.It also indicates that 80 per cent of the sampled institutions were aware of the existence of the Common Market, 13 per cent unaware and 7 per cent clueless about the implications.About 20 per cent respondents suggested that Kenya would be the biggest beneficiary of the integration process in terms of business and jobs, while 10 per cent believed the country’ peace and security would be threatened by other partner states. Some 16 per cent and 5 per cent feared losing jobs and land, respectively, to other East African citizens.Meanwhile, 80 per cent of institutions are aware of the existence of the EAC Common Market protocol, 13 per cent reject it while 7 per cent do not know about it, according to the findings.On the Customs Union, 62 per cent of interviewees knew that the protocol exists and expected it to impact on their lives.The remaining percentages are not aware of the existence of the Customs Union.On the issue of EAC protocols and programmes in the country, it was found out that apart from free movement of people and goods, other initiatives still need more publicity.The survey indicated that radio presents the best opportunity to reach out to more people as 96 per cent of the respondents said they listen to radio, 67 per cent watch television, 27 read newspapers, 23 use internet, while 11 per cent read magazines.The government has embarked on a two-month sensitisation campaign to raise public awareness about the EAC integration process and how best they can exploit it.The Minister of EAC Affairs, Monique Mukaruliza said: “We will be deploying a team of monitors who will be working closely with district officials to ensure a smooth implementation of EAC integration matters,” she noted.Rwanda and Burundi officially joined the EAC on July 1, 2007, seven years after the original partner states, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda revived the community. The bloc had earlier collapsed in 1977 over political disagreements ten years after its establishment.
