EAC Judges Trained on Competition Law to Strengthen Regional Market Integration

Judges of the East African Court of Justice have undergone a specialized training aimed at enhancing their capacity to handle competition-related disputes within the region, as the push for deeper economic integration gathers pace.

The two-day capacity-building workshop, convened by the East African Community Competition Authority, was held in Moshi and brought together judicial officers to strengthen their understanding of competition law and its role in supporting a unified regional market.

Speaking during the forum, Director-General Kemei David shared Kenya’s enforcement experience, highlighting key lessons that could guide the region in promoting fair competition amid increasing cross-border trade.

Kemei emphasized that competition law is not designed to protect individual businesses but to safeguard the competitive process. He noted that well-functioning markets lead to lower prices, increased innovation, and better outcomes for consumers.

He pointed to the enforcement track record of the Competition Authority of Kenya, citing its efforts in investigating cartels, addressing abuse of dominance, and sanctioning unfair buyer power practices. According to him, Kenya’s experience offers a practical model for other East African states seeking to strengthen their regulatory frameworks.

The Director-General also underscored the importance of a robust judicial review system, noting that several decisions by the Authority have been upheld on appeal by both the Competition Tribunal and the High Court. This, he said, helps validate enforcement actions, build legal precedent, and refine the implementation of competition laws.

Participants were further reminded that anti-competitive practices such as cartels often transcend national borders, posing a significant threat to regional integration efforts under the East African Community.

Kemei called for stronger collaboration between national and regional competition agencies to effectively address such challenges, warning that without legal alignment, economic integration risks being undermined.

The workshop comes at a time when East African countries are accelerating efforts to harmonize policies and remove trade barriers, with competition law seen as a critical pillar in ensuring that the benefits of integration are equitably shared across the region.