The late Ambassador Juma Volter Mwapachu, former Secretary General of the East African Community (EAC), remains immortalized in the hearts and minds of many across East Africa and beyond for his outstanding contribution to regional integration and diplomacy.
Joining the EAC in April 2006, Balozi Juma came with an aura of a polished and highly experienced personality. His vast knowledge, confidence, and strong character were evident from his very first meeting with the EAC staff at the AICC complex in Arusha.
Within his first 100 days, he implemented two key interventions:
- Enhancement of staff remunerations
- Strengthening the institutional structure for better service delivery.
Amb. Mwapachu’s strategic diplomatic skills allowed him to secure approval from the EAC Heads of State Summit for a significant salary enhancement, which marked a turning point in the organization’s operations.
His eloquence was legendary, making every speech or set of talking notes a challenge for writers to match his taste for high-level prose. His preferred vocabulary included words like “ethos”, “underpinning”, and “cultural intercourse”.
As a literary guru, he authored several books, enriching East Africa’s intellectual space.
He spearheaded the establishment of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) and successfully pushed for the Single Customs Territory — key milestones in EAC’s integration journey.
Balozi Mwapachu was also known for his sociable personality. Whether in Arusha, Mwanza, Dar es Salaam, Mombasa, or Kampala, he was remembered for his generosity, good humor, and treating everyone as his equal.
His legacy in regional integration is etched in East African history.
