David Kemei, Director-General of the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK), has been officially sworn in as a commissioner of the East African Community Competition Authority (EACCA). The ceremony took place on Tuesday at the East African Community (EAC) Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.
Kemei will serve a four-year term and was also elected as the interim chairperson of the regional competition watchdog. His appointment, alongside those of Germain Ntawuyamara from Burundi and Emmanuel Mugabe from Rwanda, brings the number of sitting EACCA commissioners to three.
In his inaugural remarks, Kemei emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in addressing cross-border competition issues. “The challenges we face as a bloc require concerted, solution-based approaches,” he said, noting that his focus as Kenya’s commissioner will include advocating for harmonized merger control regimes, joint investigations into anti-competitive conduct and consumer rights violations, and enhanced collaboration in market studies and capacity building.
He added that competition law plays a critical role in regional integration efforts and must be incorporated into high-level discussions involving partner states’ trade and industry representatives.
The EACCA is mandated to promote fair competition and safeguard consumer welfare across EAC member states. Its powers include investigating cross-border anti-competitive practices, assessing mergers with regional implications, and fostering policy harmonization among national regulatory bodies. The Authority also works through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with competition agencies in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda to support these objectives.
Kemei’s appointment is expected to boost regional efforts aimed at creating a more integrated and competitive economic space within East Africa.
Written By Rodney Mbua
