Writes Leo Odera Omolo
ALTHOUGH member countries of the East African Community celebrate the first anniversary of the Common Market, fresh fears have emerged that have threatened to delay the integration process.
A report by a team of experts hired by the EAC to track the emerging challenges particularly seem to point an accusing fingers at Tanzania for her “slowness “in conforming to the ideals of the integration agenda.
According to a report, negative sentiments used loosely against others have negatively impacted on the environment for integration agenda.
Tanzanians, for instances are concern for what they see as aggressive nature of their neighbors, especially Kenyans” the report reads if part. Burundi has complained that Tanzanians only pay lip service to the promise of liberalizing the movement of people across their shared borders.
Tanzanians are also said to be afraid that their country risks being infected with ethnicity problems that characterize politics of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi.
Furthermore, a lack of harmony and a common standard in the education system in the region is seen as predisposing of citizens of some countries to exploitation of regional employment opportunities than their neighbors.
“The fears is particularly of Kenyans and Ugandans over running regional labor market,” the report notes.
“There are also concerns that citizens of some states now dominate the labor market, partly because of an advantage of speaking English. There are also concerns among some Tanzanians that the envisioned political federation will affect their close relationship with the Southern African Development Community {SADC} countries such as Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana, and Angola.
As far as the monetary union, the creation of a single currency in the region is raising eye brows.
Experts from Kenya and Uganda have already raised the alert over rushing to a single currency urging the EAC to delay the process,” the report reads.
The two countries fear the legal requirements of a full transfer of monetary sovereignty to the regional level are likely to expose their countries financial sectors to external shocks.
And in as far as the 24-hour border opening program is concerned, fears have emerged about conflicting implementation. For instance, while vehicle crossing from Uganda into Rwanda are now getting cleared within 45 minutes for cargo and 30 minutes for buses, the gains are diminished when the same reach the Burundi border which is still operating a day time crossing regime.
“The community around Kenya-Tanzania and Tanzania-Burundi border felt that their freedom of movement and trade rights under the customs union is curtailed by partner state officers manning the borders,” the report adds.
Security concerns are also emerging with massive arrival into transit through East Africa nationals of Somalia, DRC Congo and Ethiopia. This has seen an increase in small arms related crimes in the region.
“Fears abound that greater integration may spread the problems originating from these countries of the EAC,’ the report says.
The report further notes that emergence of politically connected gangs such a the outlawed Mungiki and Bagdad Boys known to be operating in Kenya pose a serious to the proposed federation which is projected to be founded on the rule of law.
In addition, poor management of electoral competition in the recent past has dampened the regional stability and democratic consolidation that had started to gain root.
“The impasse among political parties in the run up to 2010 Burundi election and worse post-election violence following the disputed 2007 Kenya election caused some doubt as to whether management of internal electoral competition has reached the level of maturity to allow for region-wide political and electoral competition, “ the report says.
Ends