About us
“The EAAP is a regional association of prosecutors committed to setting and raising standards of prosecution and professional conduct for prosecutors in Eastern Africa; by promoting the rule of law and improving regional legal cooperation to combat crime.”
OUR HISTORY
The Eastern Africa Association of Prosecutors (EAAP) is an organization of national prosecution authorities (corporate membership) that was established in 2010 with the founding members being national prosecution authorities of the East Africa Community (EAC), whose members were Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. The association later incorporated South Sudan when it became a Republic and a member of the EAC.
In order to leverage regional cooperation on combating transnational organized crimes, as these crimes were no longer limited to the EAC region, it was agreed at the 8th EAAP Annual General Meeting held in Diani, Kenya, in 2019 to expand the association to include the neighbouring countries of the EAAP members in what is referred to as the Eastern Africa Region, in order to facilitate greater cooperation. Therefore, at the 9th EAAP Annual General Meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2021, the EAAP admitted into its membership new members from the national prosecuting authorities of DRC, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. Seychelles, Somalia and Sudan were admitted into the membership of the association by the 10th general assembly of the association held in Kampala on 28th February 2023 subject to their regularization of their status. Currently, the EAAP is comprised of 14 national prosecuting authorities of the following countries, Burundi, DRC, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Sudan, Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
The association name was changed from the ‘East Africa Association of Prosecutors’ to the ‘Eastern Africa Association of Prosecutors’ in order to reflect the expanded scope of the association. Additionally, the association adopted a new constitution at the 10th general assembly of the association held in Kampala on 28th February 2023 to cater for the needs of the expanded association as well as to make the association active and vibrant.
The Association is an independent, non-profit making and non-political body. Its mandate is to promote and facilitate cooperation among its member states through the detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes in the region, as well as to offer legal assistance to its members. Association members are represented by their members in the different structures of the Association as determined by the Executive Committee and the Annual General Meeting.
The current officials of the Association represented at the Executive Committee as of May 2023:
President: DPP Kenya.
September 2023 - Current: Hon. Renson Ingonga
February 2023 - June 2023: Hon. Noordin M. Haji
Vice President: Prosecutor General Rwanda, Hon. Mr. Aimable Havugiyaremye
Vice President: Prosecutor General DRC Hon. Mr. Firmin Mvonde Mambu
Secretary General: DPP Uganda, Hon. Lady Justice Jane Abodo
Treasurer: DPP Tanzania, Hon. Mr. Sylvester Anthony Mwakitalu
General Counsel: Attorney General, Republic of Mozambique, Hon. Ms. Beatriz da Consolacao Mateus Buchili
Our Vision,
Our Mission
An enhanced regional cooperation in preventing and combating Crime
To promote effective coordination and cooperation in preventing and combating crime in the region
Our Objectives
To promote and facilitate cooperation among the National Prosecuting Authorities of the Partner States to ensure effective measures and actions for prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crime in the region.
To afford one another co-operation in Mutual Legal Assistance, exchange of convicted prisoners, extradition, and other forms of cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of crimes,
To advocate for harmonization of the policies and legislations of the Partner States for the purposes of effective prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of crimes in the region.
To cooperate in the matters of victim and witness care and protection.
To cooperate in matters of assets forfeiture and recovery of instrumentalities and proceeds of crime.
To stimulate public awareness about the dangers of crime and the role of the community in its prevention, detection, investigation, prosecution and sentencing.
To carry out joint training, research programmes, exchange of expertise in the field of prosecution within the Prosecution Authorities of the Partner States.
To network, associate and cooperate with other Regional and International Prosecuting Authorities and other relevant Bodies.