The political economy of negotating the East African community mediation agreement 1984

This work is a study of the political economy of negotiating the East African Community Mediation Agreement, 1984. It is a description and analysis of the politics surrounding the mediation process for the permanent and equitable division of the assets and liabilities of the defunct EAC Corporations and the General Fund Services. The following hypothesis underlies this study. First, that the critical factors that caused the break-up of the EAC show the fundamental entrenchment of imperialist interests in East Africa. This is demonstrated by the involvement of finance capital in the form of multinational corporations as creditors and the employment of the Mediator. Second, that the conflicting interests of the partner states had more to do with narrow class interests of the national or petty bourgeoisie rather than overriding national interests and that these petty bourgeois interests were subordinated to those of finance capital. Finally, that the negotiation never sought to eliminate the fundamental problems that led to the demise of the EAC. Hence, the negotiations were not likely to help in the future of the unity and self-reliance of East Africa. The methods used in pursuing these ends are oral interviews of the personalities involved in the negotiation, and documentary analysis. The interpretation and analysis of data is guided by historical materialist approach. The study consists of five chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the study in a theoretical perspective. Chapter 2 presents the historical background and the structural make up of the EAC. This is intended to identify the structural and institutional problems that later dominated the negotiations. Chapter 3 examines the immediate and fundamental causes that led to the collapse of the EAC. Chapter 4 covers the main thesis of the study, namely the political economy of negotiating the 'East African Community Mediation Agreement, 1984. The last chapter presents a summary of implications of the findings in this study.