Kenya accuses Tanzania of slowing down integration
Dar says that's not the case, but extra cautionary approach is important
KENYA'S East African Community (EAC) Minister Jeffah Kingi yesterday accused Tanzania outright of frustrating efforts towards the integration of the five EAC member countries into one regional bloc.
Addressing a news conference in Nairobi, Kingi said Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi are all feeling frustrated by Tanzania towards the integration agenda.
He accused Tanzania of being a stumbling bloc to integration, citing the recent 19th extraordinary council of ministers meeting held on November 11-12 in Zanzibar where Tanzania rejected several recommendations and stated that it wanted to ''go slow'' on the integration process.
But in a quick reaction to the Kenyan minister's comments, Tanzania's Deputy Minister for East African Co-operation, Mohamed Aboud, refuted such claims insisting that Tanzania remains fully committed to the process, but only wants the transition to be gradual.
It is understood that Tanzania does not support the idea of allowing EAC citizens to use their national identity documents for travel within the community, even though the council of ministers decided on the same in 2002 and 2007 respectively.
Tanzania further opposes the inclusion of a provision to allow nationals of EAC partner states to have access and use of land and buildings in any other state within the community, in accordance with national laws.
Tanzania also opposes the inclusion of a provision for permanent residence in the protocol.
''It is important for Tanzania to reconsider her position in order for the community to actualize its aspirations,'' Kingi asserted.
He described the developments as unfortunate, given that the negotiations for the common market protocol were authorized by the EAC summit in its efforts to take forward the integration agenda.
''Other partner states were very frustrated with the position Tanzania took in the negotiations,'' the Kenyan minister stated.
Speaking to THISDAY in a telephone interview later yesterday, Aboud said Tanzania is well experienced as far as integration is concerned, citing the integration of Tanganyika and Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanzania in 1964.
''We are envisaging a people-centred community...the opinions of the people should be respected. Tanzanians have rejected any fast-tracking of the integration process and called for gradual process, and that is our (government) position,'' the deputy minister stressed.
He said other member states had wanted to press on with key issues such as land use and ownership, and freedom of movement in the EAC region, whereas Tanzania wanted these issues to be discussed at a later stage.
''We had agreed that the issues of land ownership and freedom of movement should be set aside for the time being...These issues were to be addressed by respective member states. As you know, land can be attributed to many social problems in other member states,'' Aboud noted.
He said Tanzania maintained its stance over freedom of movement as a security precaution, given cases of insecurity that have loomed in other member states namely Rwanda, Burundi and of late Kenya.
''There is also this issue of using national identity cards as passports for citizens of the regional bloc. Tanzania has objected to this since it feels the process would make it too hard for authorities to monitor those entering and leaving the country.''
''Tanzania wants the use of proper passports to continue for the time being before we decide on the best model we could use,'' he said.
After the Zanzibar meeting, Tanzania's Minister for East African Cooperation, Dr Diodorus Kamala, declared that outstanding issues on land ownership, free movement and permanent residence were put on hold until March next year to provide room for further discussions and consultations.
Kamala was quoted by some local media outlets as saying proposals for allowing East African residents to acquire land in other countries of the region were not in the interests of Tanzanians.
''Land is a very sensitive and intractable issue?we quite explicitly believe it shouldn?t be part of the ongoing discussions on the Common Market protocol,'' Dr Kamala was quoted as saying.
SOURCE: THIS DAY
Jamaa wana usongo na ardhi ya Tanzania,kwani soko la pamoja lazima tuwaachie ardhi yetu ?.
Arusha tumeshaonja karaa za ujambazi kutoka Kenya,hivi tukiondoa passport mambo yatakuwaje!.Wezi wote wa mabenki tena wanaotumia silaha nzito wanatoka Kenya.
Tanzania lazima iangalie kwanza usalama wa mali na raia wake kabla ya kuridhia vipengele vya hovyo.
Mabenk ya Kenya yanatoa mikopo kwa wakulima,Tanzania ndiyo tunaanza kufikiria kukopesha wakulima tena kwa fedha za EPA kama kweli zipo tukilegea kidogo ardhi yetu yote itanyakuliwa kwa kisingizio cha soko la pamoja.
Ardhi ni jambo nyetu sana nawashangaa sana baadhi ya wachangiaji wanaodhani jambo hili linaweza kuachiwa kirahisi tu.Vurugu zote za Mugabe na Wazungu ni masuala ya ardhi.