CAK’s David Kemei sworn in as EAC competition watchdog commissioner

Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK)’s Director-General David Kemei has been sworn in as a commissioner of the East African Community Competition Authority (EACCA).

Kemei was sworn in for a four-year term and also elected as the regional watchdog’s interim chairperson in a ceremony on Tuesday at the East African Community (EAC) Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania.

The appointment of commissioners is set to enhance ongoing engagements for increased cooperation between regulators in the EAC, with the realization that the issues we are facing as a bloc requires a concerted and solution-based approach, Kemei noted.

As the commissioner representing Kenya, Kemei said his priorities include advocating for harmonized merger regimes to efficiently facilitate investments, undertaking joint investigations against anti-competitive conduct and consumer violations with regional implications, and fostering deeper collaborations in capacity building, market inquiries and studies.

“Regional integration has its fair amounts of challenges, hence why they are discussed and resolved wholesomely with high-level representation from various administrative divisions from the Partner States’ Governments, including Trade and Industry,” he said.

“Competition law matters are integral to these progressive deliberations.”

The EACCA is mandated to promote and protect fair competition and enhance consumer welfare within the EAC, with powers to investigate cross-border anti-competitive practices, assess mergers of regional significance, and consumer violations.

The EACCA also coordinates collaboration with national agencies for harmonized policymaking, including through entering into Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with competition agencies in Kenya, Tanzania, and Rwanda.

Others also sworn in as commissioners on Tuesday are Germain Ntawuyamara and Emmanuel Mugabe of Burundi and Rwanda respectively.

Their appointment brings to three the number of sitting commissioners.