The East African Community (EAC) Heads of State Summit over the weekend appointed new judges including two Rwandan magistrates to the East African Court of Justice, a regional Court that litigate on matters pertaining to the interpretation of EAC treaty.
The judges to represent Rwanda are Richard Muhumuza, a former Prosecutor General who was named to the EACJ first instance division while Anita Mugeni will sit on the bench of the court’s appellate chamber.
Other judges to the court First Instance Division include Justice Yohane Bakobora Masara and Justice Richard Wabwire Wejuli as well as Justice Nestor Kayobera and Justice Kathurima M’inoti to the court Appellate Division.
The summit also appointed Justice Nestor Kayobera as judge president of the court, Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire as the vice president, Justice Yohane Bakobora Masara as principal judge and Justice Audace Ngiye as Deputy Principal judge.
In a related development, the summit of East African Community leaders also appointed Kenya’s Peter Mathuki, as the next Secretary-General of the regional bloc taking over from Liberat Mfumukeko, a Burundian who completed his five-year term.
During the meeting, Kagame was replaced by his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta as chair of the summit for the next one year.
EAC comprises six nations, namely; Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
Currently the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Somalia are also bidding to join the bloc.
CU/abj/APA