Regional Cooperation Tops Agenda as EAC Speakers Hold First-Ever Talks With Gen Muhoozi

A high-level delegation of Speakers of Parliament from across the East African Community (EAC) on Monday paid a historic courtesy visit to the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, at the Special Forces Command headquarters in Entebbe.

The distinguished delegation—currently in Uganda for the launch of the East African Community Parliamentary Games—included Rt. Hon. Anita Among, Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda and host of this year’s Games; Rt. Hon. Joseph Ntakirutimana, Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA); Rt. Hon. Moses Wetang’ula, Speaker of Kenya’s National Assembly; Rt. Hon. Alberta Mukabaramba, Speaker of the Senate of Rwanda; Rt. Hon. Clotilde Kampimbare, Second Vice President of the Senate of Burundi; and Hon. Tarimba Abbas, Head of Delegation from Tanzania and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Sports Club.

This marks the first-ever collective visit by East African Speakers to a serving CDF, signalling a significant step in strengthening engagement between the region’s legislative leaders and the security sector.

The Speakers are in Uganda following the official launch of the 2024 EAC Parliamentary Games on 6 December, an annual event hosted this year in Kampala. The Games serve as a crucial platform for advancing people-to-people integration, cultivating regional camaraderie, and promoting healthy competition among lawmakers from partner states.

During the cordial meeting, the Speakers unanimously underscored the role of sports diplomacy in deepening unity and regional integration. They noted that the Parliamentary Games continue to strengthen bonds across borders and help nurture a shared East African identity.

The delegation also extended appreciation to President Yoweri Museveni for his longstanding commitment to the East African integration agenda, and thanked the Government of Uganda for agreeing to host this year’s Games on short notice.

Gen. Kainerugaba, who also serves as Senior Presidential Advisor for Special Operations, welcomed the regional leaders and commended their collective dedication to fostering solidarity within the Community.

He described the visit as a milestone in strengthening cooperation between key regional institutions that shape East Africa’s stability and shared future.