Browsing by Author "Mpuga, Mohammed Rukidi"

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    Refugee law and policy in Uganda and Tanzania: Implications for the EAC political federation
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2016) Mpuga, Mohammed Rukidi
    The research examines refugee law and policy in Uganda, Tanzania and at the East African Community and how it will affect the proposed East African Political Federation, the ultimate stage of the East African Community. The study established that while there must be harmonisation of refugee law in the Partner States before a Political Federation is established, this has not been achieved, which casts doubt on the viability of the proposed Federation. The study also established that while the law in Uganda and Tanzania has evolved over the years to reflect some of the benchmarks set in international and legal regimes, there are number of aspects of both law and policy that do not reflect international standards. The law in Tanzania and at the EAC has not evolved fast enough to cater for the unique circumstances of the refugees in the EAC. Further, at the regional level, while there are a number of mechanisms that are established by the Protocol on Peace and Security, the fact that the Protocol has not been ratified by some of the Partner States means that those mechanisms are not in place and yet all this must precede the Political Federation. Moreover, refugees are viewed as a security issue, and their rights are thus restrained. There is very little coordination among the Partner States and the EAC regarding refugees. While initiatives in the region such as the ICGLR are welcome, they are hampered by the fact that the Member States there belong to various sub regional groupings, making coordination difficult. There is also a reluctance among the Partner States to take the steps necessary for the establishment of the Political Federation and that there is considerable ambiguity about the proposed Federation.