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President Uhuru Kenyatta (left) answers questions during the East African business summit held in Kigali, Rwanda. With him is Rwanda President Paul Kagame (centre) and KCB Chief Executive Joseph Oigara.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has allayed fears among the rest of the East African partner states that Kenyans will not dominate all available jobs if the regional labour market is opened and liberalised. The Head of State described such fears and mentality as unwarranted, adding the East African leadership needs a clear and brave approach to address those fears.
President Uhuru said there is need for the leadership in region to demystify the notion about protecting "jobs for my people", an approach taken by some partner states. He said there is need for the partner states to make the region more competitive through full integration. The President said full integration of the East African region is being slowed by these unfounded fears among its members.
"What has made us not move at the pace we need to are national fears that if I open up the labour market, my people will be denied jobs and that all the opportunities will be taken," said the President in Kigali, Rwanda.President Uhuru said people from the region must start talking as East Africans by dealing with their national fears, adding the matter needs the political goodwill of leaders.
He said Kenya and Rwanda are currently reaping significant benefits after liberalising their labour market and free movement of people between the two countries using national ID cards as travel documents. "What we are doing is tapping the best workers in the region, not blocking people just because they come from another country," said the President.
Insecurity matter President Kenyatta gave the example of the United States, which has over the years achieved remarkable growth and development by tapping the best talent from all over the world including Africa and India. "We need to discard inward-looking mentality that we inherited from the colonialists and allow our people to move freely," said the President.
This position was shared by Rwanda President Paul Kagame, when the two heads of State faced hard questions from senior policy makers and captains of business and industry in the region during the 6th East African Business Summit in Kigali.
Read more at: Standard Digital News - Kenya : Don't fear Kenyans, President Uhuru Kenyatta tells East Africans
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