Regional Report By Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu Citry

Kenya, which is one of the three founder member of the much revitalized East African Community [EAC} has finally ratified the East African Common Market Protocol, signaling its readiness for the next July deadline for free movement of people and goods across the region.

Tanzania another founder member of the EAC was the first in the bloc to ratify the agreement, clearing doubts over its c commitment to the deal.

Rwanda, which has been the most flexible in opening its borders to its partners in the East African Community, has also approved it, and it is just awaiting parliament’s nod to sign it into law

In the absence of a regional constitution, EAC Treaty matters have to be r4eferred to regional jurisdiction for ratification, although plans are underway to craft a cross border legal system.

Since the Common Market Protocol was signed in November last year and July 2010 set as the deadline to implement the concept, it was expected that EAC member states would have ratified it by the end of April 2010.

The approval by the cabinet come just a week after EAC related Ministries prepared a cabinet memo to seek a nod to ratify the document, which is also expected to trigger other legal reforms that will prepare the country doe the common market.

“An approval by the cabinet gives the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the power to inform the Arusha based EAC secretariat that Kenya has agreed to the provision of the C0mmon Market Protocol,” Kenya’s Permanent Secretary in charge of the East African Community Affairs David Nalo has said.

Each one of the EAC countries had up to July this year to deposit a copy with the Secretariat. The Protocol implementation will open the region’s borders for easy movement of labor, capital, goods and services within member states.

“The protocol will affect the existing national law and partner states have been asked to comply with its provisions,” Kenya’s Assistant Minister for EAC Affairs Peter Munya told newsmen last week during a Common Market sensitization meeting.

The EAC Ministry has already established a task force headed by Justice Stewart Madzayo to audit the national laws and recommend reforms that are needed to weed out parts that conflict with the provisions of the protocol.

The task force is expected to detail how the current national laws limit movement of labor and capital markets and give recommendation on the nature of the required administrative and legal reforms.

Kenya’s Immigration Minister Gerald Otieno Kajwang’ has already indicated that Kenya will soon eliminate work permits system for all the region citizens, following in the footsteps of Rwanda that pioneered the move three years ago.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has been pushing for a single tourist visa to promote the region. Other such calls are for the speedy conclusion of the ongoing study on uniform academic standards across the region.

The EAC is developing a common strategy to address food security and climate change. The strategy will be embodied in two policy documents-Food Security Action and the Climate Change Policy –that will be presented to the heads of state at a special summit later this month in Arusha.

Already, the drafts have been ratified by the East Africa Legislative Assembly and were reviewed at the recently held Sect oral Council of Ministers for Lake Victoria Basin and the multispectral meeting on Food Security and Climate Change in Kisumu City.

Now, the documents have been poasased on to the partner states for review and eventual forwarding to the EAC secretariat for consolidation as they await ratification.

Ends