ARUSHA, Tanzania – The East African Business Council (EABC) is mourning the passing of Ambassador Dr. Juma Volter Mwapachu, one of EABC’s founding chairpersons and a passionate champion of regional integration and private sector development in East Africa.
Amb. Dr. Mwapachu played an instrumental role in shaping the private sector’s voice in the East African integration agenda. A visionary thought leader and accomplished diplomat, he was among the early architects of EABC and served as EABC’s second Chairperson.
His leadership saw EABC assume a central role during the formulation and eventual signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community (EAC) on 30th November 1999. In recognition of this, Amb. Dr. Mwapachu was honoured with the opportunity to address East Africans during the treaty signing ceremony, representing the private sector at the historic Summit of EAC Heads of State in Arusha, Tanzania.
Amb. Dr. Mwapachu also served as Secretary General of the East African Community from 2006 to 2011. His tenure was marked by visionary leadership in implementing the EAC Customs Union and spearheading negotiations for the EAC Common Market Protocol, which was signed in 2009 and came into force on 1st July 2010. He was also pivotal in laying the foundation for the East African Monetary Union by developing the Terms of Reference for its negotiations.
Amb. Dr. Mwapachu’s legacy in the private sector development is outstanding. He served as Chairperson of the Confederation of Tanzania Industries (CTI), and the first Secretary General of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA).
Amb. Dr. Mwapachu, as Chairperson of CTI, advanced regional economic cooperation alongside other business visionaries, including Dr. Manu Chandaria of Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) and Prof. James Mulwana of Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) by co-founding the EABC in 1997. Their joint efforts laid the groundwork for private sector participation and involvement in the revival of the East African Community (EAC) after the collapse of the original EAC in 1977.
Under his stewardship, he passionately advocated EABC’s recognition as a formal representative of private sector in the EAC integration processes. This lead to the granting of observer status to EABC enabling it participating in the EAC policy formulation and decision making processes.
Throughout his illustrious career, he championed people-centered and market-driven integration, urging for deeper collaboration between governments and businesses. He consistently called for stronger policy frameworks to promote cross-border trade and investment, eliminate barriers to trade in order to boost intra-EAC trade.
EABC acknowledges with gratitude his lifetime commitment to the ideals of regional integration. His foundational role in shaping key articles of the EAC Treaty — Article 127 on enabling private sector development, Article 128 on strengthening private sector institutions, and Article 129 on cooperation among business organizations — underscored his belief in the private sector as a pillar of the EAC
“His memory lives on in the institutions he helped build, the regional partnerships he fostered, and the unity he tirelessly worked to revive East African Community,” EABC said. “We celebrate his legacy and commit to upholding the vision he so passionately pursued.”
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