President Jakaya Kikwete trip a boost to EAC dream, says Moi

Former President Daniel Moi has lauded the recent visit by Tanzania's President Jakaya Kikwete as momentous and inspiring.

Mr Moi said the visit by Kikwete and subsequent address to the Kenyan Parliament revived hopes for an East African Federation.

"During his meetings with President Uhuru Kenyatta and also the members of Kenyan Parliament, he emphasised the strategic nature of the partnership between the two countries," Moi said in statement through his Press Secretary Lee Njiru.

Moi said President Kikwete raised optimism among Kenyans, when he not only referred to them as neighbours but brothers.

"The tone and content of the talks between the two regional leaders give a lot of hope to those who wish to see the fruition of an East African Federation during their lifetime," he said.

President Kikwete was in the country last week where he bid farewell to Kenya as his term comes to an end.

He reassured Kenyans that there would be no change of policy in relations with his country once he leaves office.

"Only some very crazy person can contemplate shift of policy as far as good relationship with Kenya is concerned," Kikwete told a joint session of Parliament last Tuesday.

He said as Tanzania's largest trading partner, Kenya was strategic and would remain so for a very long time to come.

He gave a personal undertaking that the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) candidate Dr John Magufuli will not have any different policy on Kenya in the event he wins the tightly contested presidential election scheduled for October 25.

"Let nobody have any misgivings about relations with Kenya in case the CCM candidate wins the election," said Kikwete.

Moi said it is in the best interest of East Africans if President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Kikwete of Tanzania and President Uhuru begin to sternly and progressively move towards concretisation of the East African dream.

"The idea of federation should not be allowed to stagnate any longer. It would be prudent to begin by strengthening the co-operation in such critical areas as security intelligence, transport and electric power," he said.

He said the success of the federation would attract other countries.