…Sensitisation on the available opportunities also key – legislators add
East African Legislative Assembly, Arusha, Tanzania: January 28, 2016: The Assembly is calling on the Partner States to commence the process of uniformly abolishing work and residence permit fees as well as in the facilitation of portability of social benefits.
In the same vein, the Assembly is set to work jointly with regional advocacy bodies to engage in sensitization and popularization of the Common Market Protocol among other related issues.
Late yesterday, the Assembly debated and adopted the Report of the Committee on General Purpose on the petition to EALA regarding work/residence permits in the EAC for the citizens of the Partner States.
The Report presented by Hon Dr Odette Nyiramilimo, Chair of the Committee indicates that a number of areas of co-operation and implementation of the Common Market Protocol remain in the remit of individual Partner States and thus calls for advocacy to enable harmonization at the regional level. The Committee further observes that the issue of portability of social benefits is key and undertakes to continue work with the East African Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) and the East African Employers Association (EAEO), who are drafting a Bill on the same. The issue of portability of social benefits is already been discussed bilaterally among some Partner States. In addition, EALA is to formalize its engagement with the East African Business Council and other private sector players in the region. The Council is further requested to continuously develop interventions to enhance the business environment in the region and fast track development of policies and strategies on key issues to enhance implementation.
The said petition was presented to the EALA Speaker, Rt. Hon Daniel Fred Kidega by the East African Trade Union Confederation and the East African Employers Association in March 2015. The EATUC/EAEO has made 17 prayers in their request. Such include the harmonization of the standards and processes of acquiring permits as well as the future amendment of Annex 2 of the Common Market Protocol to review the roadmap for free movement of workers given he fact that the current one ended in 2015. The annex according to the petitioners should put in place a roadmap for the gradual implementation of free labour mobility which eventually comprises all sectors and all categories of blue and white collar workers. Furthermore, the petitioners want the new revised annex to put in place a tripartite mechanism (Employers, Trade Unions and Government) at the EAC level and should be administered at national level through the tripartite fora. The petitioners also want the standardization of the process of the work permits and the eventual removal of the permits.
At debate time, Hon Martin Ngoga called for the harmonization of the procedures of acquiring permits while Hon Susan Nakawuki said Partner States should not be seen to be introducing barriers that hamper process of acquisition of the permits. Hon Dr James Ndahiro remarked that though the Common Market Protocol had many benefits, citizens of the region continued to face a myriad of challenges. He remarked that it was necessary for EAC Partner States to prioritise integration.
“Integration seems to be taking second place in some of our Partner States. We need to prioritise it so we do not waste the meagre resources”, the legislator remarked.
Hon Dora Byamukama congratulated the Secretary General of the Community for introducing the EAC Scorecard on the Common Market Protocol remarking that it enabled the region to take stock of the on-going developments.
The legislator called for the speedy harmonization of the student visa fees across board as a way of introducing equal opportunities.
Hon Christophe Bazivamo remarked that in the Republic of Rwanda, it took 3 days to process and issue a permit and about 12 hours to register a company. Furthermore, the work permit fees for East Africans has been abolished.
“If the costs of issuing permits is high, it is not developmental. It stops people from coming to work, to invest and to develop,” he added.
Hon Abdullah Mwinyi urged the Partner States to adhere to the Protocol and to the principle of non-discrimination of EAC citizens when it comes to enjoying privileges. On his part, Hon Chris Opoka said it was vital for Partner States to analyse the percentage of revenues earned from work permits vis a vis what investment realized from the opportunities created would bring. It costs USD 3000 for a work permit in some of the Partner States which is high compared to say USD 155 in a developed country like Canada”, he said. “If it is about revenue, we can earn much more if people work and they get taxed”, he added.
Hon Shyrose Bhanji urged the Partner States to take advantage of opportunities of the Common Market Protocol.
“I wonder how many Tanzanians for example have taken advantage of the opportunities to teach the Kiswahili language in the Partner States”, she said.
“We should popularize, disseminate and educate people on the Common Market Protocol so that more and more people embrace the labour mobility”, she added.
The legislator thanked President Uhuru Kenyatta who in 2014, invited the entire EALA to visit the Republic of Kenya to undertake a sensitization tour.
Others who supported the report were Hon Valerie Nyirahabineza, Hon Peter Mathuki, Hon Bernard Mulengani and Hon Nancy Abisai.
The Minister for EAC, Uganda, Hon Shem Bageine said the Council was committed to addressing all outstanding issues with regards to the Common Market Protocol and said Partner States had identified laws in the Partner States which need to comply to the EAC Laws. Hon Phyllis Kandie, Cabinet Secretary for Labour, Social Benefits and EAC Affairs, Republic of Kenya said her country was committed to fully implementing the Protocol. Similar sentiments were shared by the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, Hon Dr. Susan Kolimba.
EAEO with a potential outreach of over 8500 companies and business entities has also 100 associations and affiliates while the EATUC represents more than 2.5 million workers organised in unions affiliated to the national trade union centres, the regional apex bodies for employers’ organisations and national trade union centres across the EAC.
-Ends-
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For more Information, contact:
Bobi Odiko,
Senior Public Relations Officer;
East African Legislative Assembly;
Tel: +255-27-2508240
Cell: +255 787 870945+254-733-718036;
Email: bodiko@eachq.org
Web: https://www.eala.org
Arusha, Tanzania
