Writes Leo Oera Omolo
The outgoing chairman of the Summit of the East African Community, President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi has called the member countries to speed up the establishment and signing of the regional Customs Union.
President Nkurunziza who will be relinquishing is position as the Summit of the EAC chair next week at the next Summit scheduled on November 30 in Bujumbura said Non Tariffs Barrier{NTBs} have not only inhibited development and raised the cost of dong business, they have also acted as impediment to the Customs Union and Common Market Protocol.
President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya is expected to resume the chair of the Summit of the EAC next week during the next Summit slated for Bujumbura on November 30,2011.
President Nkurunziza asked members of the East African Legislative Assembly who are currently meeting in Bujumbura ahead of the next week’s Summit to scale monitoring so as to tackle the issue of the Customs authority.
Establishment of a regional Customs Union is part of the Customs Union, which became fully fledged on January last year, after five-year transition period.
A single regional Customs Authority would mean that customs revenues are collected at the first point of entry, and imported goods proceed to the final destination without stopping at national border points for customs charges or inspection.
President Nkurunziza further called for the speedy implementation of decisions of the EAC Council of Ministers, and implementation of the Protocol and commitments agreed on by partner states in order to ensure the benefits of the regional integration are felt by all.
“It is imperative, therefore that this Legislative Assembly and the Council of Ministers to collaborate more mechanisms to initiate laws that enforce the expeditious implementation of Customs Union and the Common Market Protocol so that East African citizens can reap benefits
Accruing from them,” the Burundi leader said.
Nkurunziza spoke during the Second of the Fifth Session of the East African Legislative Assembly meeting held at the Congress Palace, in Bujumbura.
The Legislative arm of the East African Community, which started its sittings last week has lined up a series of Bills that will be debated over the next two weeks, among them the second and third reading of the controversial EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill.
Various motions, reports and resolutions deepening and widening the integration agenda are also on the agenda, and will be adopted at the two weeks plenary, according to information emerging from the EAC secretariat in Arusha.
Early this month two senior Kenya government officials were reported to have clashed as they debated whether Kenya should ban use of polythene materials.
Industrialization Permanent Secretary Dr Karanja Kibicho and the Permanent Secretary to the EAC David Nalo had presented differing views during public hearing of the Polythene Materials Control Bill.
The mover of the Polythene Material Control Bill {PMCB} Patricia Hajabakiga argued the Bill is about managing waste not controlling production of polythene materials. But Dr Kibicho said although the Bill means well, it might lead to closure of many firms if it is passed as a law.
On his part, Nalo said the Bill is not about plastics, which most of the manufacturers in Kenya are involved in, but rather the menace caused by polythene on the environment.
Ends