Nairobi — Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday asked Tanzania and Burundi to waive work permit charges in the spirit of East Africa Community (EAC) of allowing free movement of people and goods.

President Kenyatta said the dream of a borderless East Africa would be realised if all partner states honoured an EAC Heads of State summit deal that sanctioned free movement of people, goods, services as well as capital.

“My government provides free work permits to all East Africans and we urge other partner states to do the same,” said President Kenyatta in a speech read on his behalf by Labour Services and EAC Affairs cabinet secretary Phyllis Kandie at the official opening ceremony of the East Africa Business and Entrepreneurship Conference and Exhibition in Nairobi.

Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have since waived the work permits but Tanzania and Burundi are yet to ratify the deal.

The deal also allows research, law, architectural and real estate firms from sister countries to offer cross-border services.

The move also saw single visas for foreign tourists introduced with hotels, tours and travel agencies now allowed to offer cross border services.

The cost of permits in Tanzania ranges between $6 (Sh12000) and $3,000 (Sh6.3 million). In Burundi, it ranges between $60 and $84. The East African Common Market Protocol which was ratified in 2010 provides for free movement of workers but the governments have retained the permits on policy, health and security concerns.

President Uhuru Kenyatta also called on partner states to look into ways of fast-tracking the waiver on double taxation for processed goods saying Kenya had since effected changes allowing free flow of manufactured products for sale in Kenya at no extra cost.

Source: All Africa

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