GACS 2026 — Day 13: Machakos University.

Day 13 of the GACS 2026 journey took us to Machakos University, where the team was warmly welcomed and treated to a heavy breakfast by the university.
The highlight of the visit was the planting of an Integration Tree and the launch of an EAC Integration Club at the university. The activities were presided over by the Vice Chancellor, reaffirming the university’s commitment to regional integration, environmental conservation and youth engagement.
The Vice Chancellor then officially flagged off the GACS team as they continued their journey towards Emali, where the team will spend the night.
GACS 2026 — Day 13: Machakos University 🇰🇪🚴🏾‍♂️🌍

Day 12 of the GACS 2026 journey was hosted at the Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Showground in Machakos , before the team proceeded on Day 13 to Machakos University.
The GACS team was warmly welcomed with breakfast by Prof. David Mulisa , who introduced the team to Prof. Joyce Agalo, Deputy Vice Chancellor of Machakos University.
Prof. Agalo appreciated the GACS two-wheel journey promoting EAC integration, unity and improved livelihoods, and pledged the university’s continued support and collaboration with GACS.
The team also planted an Integration Tree and launched an EAC Integration Club, strengthening the university’s commitment to regional integration, environmental conservation and youth engagement.
Prof. Agalo officially flagged off the GACS team and wished them a safe journey as they continued towards Emali. 🇰🇪🤝🏾🇺🇬
One Leople, One Destiny , One East Africa.🌍🚴🏾‍♂️


25.08.2026
GACS–EAC Tour 2026: NAIROBI TO TANZANIA 🇰🇪🚴🏾‍♂️🇹🇿
After a well-deserved two-day rest in Nairobi, the GACS–EAC Tour team was received at the Ministry of East African Community Affairs, Kenya, by the Head of Communications, Ms James Munyu, who warmly welcomed and ushered the cycling heroes into the Ministry. The team was treated to a hearty breakfast before holding a closed-door meeting with Ms Mary A Mairory the Ministry’s Integration Secretary on matters of East African integration and the objectives of the GACS–EAC Tour.
The team was later officially flagged off to begin the second leg of the 2026 GACS–EAC Tour, heading to Machakos before heading towards Tanzania.
The wheels of integration continue to roll!
#gacs2026
#wheelsofintegration

26.08.2026
Good morning, GACS! 🚴♀️🌍
Catch yourselves on our national television, Citizen TV! It was a pleasure hosting you at Machakos University. Thank you for visiting us, and special appreciation to the University Management, under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joyce Agalo, for making this memorable engagement possible.
We wish you a safe, successful and inspiring journey as you continue your incredible expedition across East Africa. Keep riding and keep inspiring! 🚴♂️🌍✨
Maureen Kaveke
Corporate Affairs & Public Relations
Machakos University
27.08.2026
GACS EAC 2026 — Day 16
Waking up beneath the majestic slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Oloitokitok. Today, we ride through the mighty Amboseli National Park, where Africa’s wild beauty unfolds beneath the shadow of the great mountain. Another unforgettable day on the road. Let the adventure begin!
Dear East Africans, You are warmly invited to the East African Community Secretariat on 31st August 2026 for the Official Flag-Off Ceremony of the GACS–EAC Tour 2026.
Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Venue: EAC Secretariat
Guest of Honour: The EAC Secretary General, H.E. Amb. Stephen Patrick Mbundi.
One Team, One Dream!
#GACS2026 #WheelsOfIntegration #EACIntegration
29.08.2026
The GACS team was officially received this morning by the District Commissioner of Longido,
Hon. Kalli Salum .
The DC honored the team and extended support for the 55-day, 6000KM mission across East African countries aimed at promoting regional integration.
From Longido to Arusha, and across the region — the journey of unity begins.


30.08.2026
The resting day for the GACS EAC Tour in Tanzania as the tour go on for the 55 days and 6000km in East Africa

Dear East Africans,
You are warmly invited to the East African Community Secretariat on 31st August 2026 for the Official Flag-Off Ceremony of the GACS–EAC Tour 2026.

Time: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Venue: EAC Secretariat
Guest of Honour: The EAC Secretary General, H.E. Amb. Stephen Patrick Mbundi.
One Team, One Dream!
#GACS2026 #WheelsOfIntegration #EACIntegration


31.08.2026
The GACS - EAC 2026i team has officially arrived at the East African Community Secretariat for today’s important engagement and official flag-off ceremony.
The journey for deeper East African integration continues!

Today at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha, the Secretary General of the EAC, on behalf of the Community, officially gave USD 2,500 to support our 55-day, 6000KM journey across East Africa.

He commended the GACS initiative as a great idea for regional integration and confirmed that EAC will partner with us and ensure this mission is supported.

An endorsement of our dream for a united East Africa!
At the wheels of integration are moving!

#GACS2026 #EAC #OnePeopleOneDestiny


OFFICIALLY FLAGGED OFF FROM EAC HEADQUARTERS! 🚩🚴🏾‍♂️
History made today at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha!
The GACS 6000KM Cycling Caravan was officially flagged off by the Secretary General of the East African Community, in the presence of the EAC Secretariat and staff.
Carrying the flags of our Partner States, our cyclists have now left Arusha - pedaling the message of unity, peace, and regional integration across East Africa.
The journey of integration is on the road!
#GACS2026

01.09.2026
GACS is also discussing about climate change and how to establish resilient solutions
The same principle of integration can be seen within Uganda. *Look at what integration and partnership have achieved in Karamoja.* The water infrastructure now being developed and rehabilitated there has not been achieved by one institution working alone. Government, development partners, local governments, technical institutions and communities have come together to identify the challenges, mobilise resources, design appropriate interventions and implement water infrastructure that responds to the realities of the region.

Through such partnerships, Karamoja has seen investments in *valley tanks, dams, boreholes, piped water systems and other water-for-production infrastructure*. These investments are particularly important in a region where prolonged droughts and unreliable rainfall have made access to water increasingly difficult for pastoral and agro-pastoral communities. The Ministry of Water and Environment, for example, is currently implementing water-for-production interventions while working with district local governments and other actors to improve the development and management of these facilities.

This is what *integration looks like in practice*. A climate challenge affecting one region brings together different institutions, partners, levels of government and communities to develop a common solution. The result is infrastructure that helps communities secure water for livestock and production, strengthens their ability to cope with drought, and can also reduce conflicts associated with competition for scarce water resources.

Therefore, if another country, district or community has developed a better way of responding to climate change, *why shouldn't we learn from it and adapt it to our own context?* If Uganda has solutions that can help another country, why shouldn't we share them?

That is the power of integration—*bringing together knowledge, resources, experiences and solutions across borders and institutions to address challenges that no single country, district or community can solve alone.* So, dear GACs, continue spreading the integration message until we get there. *Let us learn from one another, share what works and work together to build a more climate-resilient and sustainable future.*

Integration for Environmental Protection: From Local to Global Action
Integration to protect the environment is already happening at different levels—locally, regionally and globally. What we need is to strengthen and expand these efforts because environmental challenges do not respect borders.

Take Lake Victoria, for example. It is a shared water body connecting Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. The River Nile similarly flows across several countries, while within Uganda, our rivers, wetlands and catchments are shared across districts, sub-counties and communities. These shared resources bring us together around a common responsibility: to protect and sustainably manage them.

Today, Lake Victoria is facing increasing pressure from wastewater, industrial pollution and other activities originating from communities, districts and different countries. Therefore, calling on Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and other countries within the basin to integrate, share knowledge and work together to protect this freshwater resource is integration in action.

If a solution or good practice is working in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, why not learn from it, adapt it to our context and implement it where appropriate? Integration means learning from one another and working together towards shared solutions.

02.09.2026

Today, the GACS–EAC Tour 2026 team has settled in Babati, Manyara Region, where we are setting up camp at the Regional Sports Centre as we await the next programme from the regional leadership. As the journey continues, we remain deeply grateful to everyone standing with us and making this dream possible.
Special appreciation to our supporters and partners: National Water and Sewerage Corporation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Uganda, Government of Tanzania, the EAC Secretariat, the Ministry of Water and Environment, Machakos University, Andersen Vocational institute and the Agricultural Society of Kenya.
Thank you for believing in the journey. One Team, One Dream!.
EAC calls for greater public ownership
of regional integration
By Guardian Reporter, Arusha<br
>
THE East African Community (EAC) has called on the private sector and civil society organisa- tions to take a more active role in the regional integration process, saying greater public ownership is essential to advancing peace, food security, climate action and cross-border cooperation.
Ambassador Stephen Mbundi, EAC Secretary General made the remarks in Arusha when he met a delegation of 40 cyclists par- ticipating in the Great Africa Cy- cling Safari (GACS), which brings together riders from four EAC member states and Zimbabwe, a member of the Southern Afri- can Development Community (SADC).
Ambassador Mbundi said yes- terday that governments should primarily focus on creating an enabling environment through appropriate policies and insti- tutional frameworks, while the private sector, civil society and communities take a leading role in driving regional integration.
He added that the cycling ini- tiative was aligned with the EAC integration agenda because it promoted grassroots participa- tion, climate change awareness, peacebuilding, food security and cooperation among communities across national borders.
“I am aware that the specific goal of GACS is to accelerate and promote the East African Community integration agenda through grassroots participation, climate change action, peace building, food security aware- ness, and cross-border coopera- tion,” he said.
He said the momentum for de- veloping and strengthening the EAC should increasingly come from the people of East Africa rather than being driven solely by governments.
Ambassador Mbundi noted that the EAC is a people-centred and private sector-driven community and therefore its integration agen- da should be owned and nurtured by citizens, communities, young people, the private sector and civil society organisations.
He said the EAC’s seventh de- velopment strategy recognises strengthening the social dimen- sion of regional integration as one of its key strategic objectives.
The SG said the Great Africa Cycling Safari demonstrated how sport could be used as a tool to bring citizens of member states together, promote cross-border interaction and foster a shared sense of belonging to the East Af- rican Community.
He said initiatives of this na- ture allow citizens to experience regional integration beyond poli- cies, protocols and institutions.
“Differences in perspectives among individuals or countries do not have to be a barrier to development, as like-minded people can discuss, disagree, and ultimately reach an acceptable so- lution,” Ambassador Mbundi said. In recognition of the initiative’s contribution to regional integra- tion, Ambassador Mbundi an- nounced that the EAC Secretariat had contributed 2,500 US dollars towards the cycling expedition.
He described the safari as an example of how citizens could di- rectly participate in building and strengthening the East African Community through sport, social interaction and cross-border ac- tivities.
Johnbosco Balongo, GACS co- ordinator said the 55-day cycling expedition was intended to bring East Africans closer to the EAC and demonstrate that regional integration could not succeed through government policies and leaders’ meetings alone.
He said the initiative was de- signed to engage ordinary citizens and increase their understanding of the opportunities and impor- tance of regional integration.

06.09.2026

Why does Tanzania appear to fall short of the spirit of EAC integration?
The EAC Common Market is built on the free movement of people, goods, services, labour and capital. Yet, in practice, East Africans still face significant barriers when entering Tanzania, seeking employment, doing business or providing services.
The irony is that Tanzania hosts the EAC headquarters, yet some of the realities on the ground do not seem to reflect the integration ideals we have committed ourselves to.
This is not about attacking Tanzania. It is about asking a legitimate question:
If we are truly building one East Africa, why should an East African still feel like a foreigner in another Partner State?
Integration must go beyond treaties and declarations. It must be felt by ordinary East Africans in their daily lives.
East Africa must move from integration on paper to integration in practice.
#eastafricancommunity #EastAfricanIntegration #GACS2026

07.09.2026

TODAY’S GACS SALUTE GO TO DR. ISAAC BUNI, THE OFFICIAL GACS 2026 DOCTOR.
Since the very beginning of the tour, Dr. Buni has been relentless in caring for our riders—treating illnesses, responding to emergencies, and ensuring everyone is fit and safe to keep moving. Dr. Isaac Buni, we appreciate you!
Your dedication and sacrifice have been an important part of the GACS 2026 journey.
Thank you, Doctor, for keeping the wheels turning!
#GACS2026