Technology can help boost EA unity

Finding answers to these questions can help shed some light on why East Africans must elevate science and technology not only as strategic tool for integration but also a tool to prepare the region’s citizenry to confront local threats and global challenges.

Developments in Kenya in 2007/08, Uganda in the late 70s, Rwanda and Burundi in early 80s and recently Zanzibar point at the weakness of using technology to forge and impose nation states on people without taking into account the individual citizen’s input.

Nation states born out of use of technological tools by a few against many create a scientifically predictable outcome of resistance from the majority.

In other words, science and technology ought to be used to address the quest by the majority to effectively participate in the forging of nation states.

EAC states therefore should use science and technology to enhance citizen participation in endorsing the integration as opposed to imposing integration on the people.

Imposed integration will be no different to what colonialists did in creating the five nation states in the region.

Science and technology should not be used to suppress the fears and obstacles to East Africa Community integration.

Without informed participation by the citizenry, we remain but watchers.

Shikwati is the director, Inter Region Economic Network james@irenkenya.org