The proposed East African Political Confederation is intended to serve as a gradual transition toward a fully-fledged East African Federation, with the final decision resting in the hands of citizens rather than political leaders, according to Benjamin Odoki, the former Chief Justice of Uganda and chairperson of the team drafting the confederation’s constitution.

Speaking on The Context, a podcast by The New Times, Odoki said the confederation is designed to strengthen regional cooperation while allowing partner states to retain their sovereignty before eventually moving to a federation.