This archive report was first published on 12 July 2021.
July 7, 2021, marked a significant day for East Africa, as Kenya's leading daily, Daily Nation, reported on two seemingly unrelated stories. One story highlighted the conviction of 12 individuals for hacking into Kenyan banking giant Equity, while the other reported on a call by Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni and visiting Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto for the formation of the East African Federation.
The Rwandan court's conviction of the 12 individuals, who were arrested in 2019 by the Rwandan Investigation Bureau, handed them eight-year jail terms and fines of $52,000. The gang consisted of eight Kenyans, three Rwandans, and a Ugandan, showcasing a pan-African cast of criminals.
Meanwhile, Museveni and Ruto's call for the East African Federation, a proposed political union of the East African Community (EAC), sparked a renewed discussion on regional integration. Museveni emphasized the need for African countries to realize that integration is key to ensuring the prosperity of their peoples.
However, the reality on the ground is far from ideal. Despite talk of an East African federation, a common currency, and other regional goods for 15 years, little progress has been made at the governmental level. In fact, compared to 10 years ago, East Africa might have taken some steps backward.
But what's interesting is that the hackers who stole from Equity, the criminal networks that steal cars and move small arms, and the alternative cross-border traders (smugglers) must have read the Museveni-Ruto communique and been delighted that they are 20 years behind. East Africa has changed dramatically, with the growth of networked businesses like Equity Bank, increased connectivity and internet penetration, and the explosion of digital dependency driven by Covid-19 lockdowns.
Cybercriminals see the opportunity to steal fortunes electronically and understand that to hide their trail, they need to establish cross-national operations. It's said that a currency can never become international until criminals fall in love with it, as they are with the US dollar.
It could be argued that criminals like the Equity hackers are casting a vote of confidence in the East African project. They are crooks who see the great opportunities in regional markets and are scornful of borders, showing the good people the gems that can be mined from regional integration.
The story suggests that the security establishments in the region are waking up, reporting that regional security teams had trailed the gang linked to bank hacking attempts in Kenya and Uganda and had notified Rwandan officials when they set up shop there.
Today, people in the region are doing many things, including singing, and falling in and out of love in very East African ways. Tanzanian musician Diamond Platinumz, who became the first African musician to get one billion views on his YouTube channel, is a prime example of someone who has tapped into the region's heart.
On Tuesday, Museveni and Ruto smelt that East Africa. What they now need to do is touch it like Diamond, or hack it like that black hat who met their end in Kigali.
Charles Onyango-Obbo is a journalist, writer, and curator of the “Wall of Great Africans”.
