Uhuru urges Tanzania, Burundi to effect work permit fees waiver

October 11, 2016
Nairobi, Kenya
Uhuru urges Tanzania, Burundi to effect work permit fees waiver
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.

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.

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

Industrialisation Cabinet secretary Adan Mohamed urged firms to start referring to their products as ‘Made in East Africa’, saying the bloc’s image abroad was more popular than names of individual countries.

Source: Uhuru urges Tanzania, Burundi to effect work permit fees waiver

For the sake of (New)East African community,all the member states have to speak one voice,with me I see that,there is no need of contradict each other,let them join hands for the welfare of the Community,verbal arguments should be left apart, when it comes to the matter of strengthen our brotherhood and oneness!!!,,

I think it's not yet time.

Hahah nyang'au anaanza chokochoko tena baada ya kusaini EPA! Tuone hili litaishia wapi sasa..

Tatizo hii EAC inaharakishwa mno na wanaofanya maamuzi ni watu watano tu. Wananchi wamekuwa watazamaji.

Cicero said:

I think it's not yet time.

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Hehehe!! When will it ever be time for Tanzania on anything to do with EAC's agreements.
Halafu hili suala la work permits kadiri mnavyozidi kuligome mkidhani mnawahangaisha Wakenya na Waganda ujue linawaadhiri na nyie pia. Maana gharama zote za hivyo vibali zinalipwa na makampuni yenu.

Mjiulize nini kinasababisha makampuni yenu yahangaike kuingia gharama ya kuwalipia wageni hivyo vibali vyote na kuacha wazawa. Mjiulize mbona rais wenu ameamua bora awaite wataalam kutoka nchi jirani ya Rwanda waje wafanye kazi kwenye idara nyeti ya TRA wakati wazawa wapo. Siku mtakaa na kujiuliza hayo maswali na kuyajibu na kuyapatia suluhu la kudumu, ndio siku mtaacha kuhangaika na kukimbia kivuli chenu.

Leo hii kwa kweli makampuni yenu yanaingia gharama za vibali na kupata hasara, maana mimi kama Mkenya siwezi kuja kwenye nchi ya watu kufanya kazi kama kampuni haitolipia vibali vyangu. Lazima walipe kila kitu na hadi nione vyote vipo tayari ndio niabiri KQ, hayo maisha ya kujificha ficha uhamiaji siwezi kuyaishi.

HEKIMA KWANZA said:

Tatizo hii EAC inaharakishwa mno na wanaofanya maamuzi ni watu watano tu. Wananchi wamekuwa watazamaji.

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Labda huna taarifa kwamba wananchi wenyewe ndio wanaharakisha zaidi ya serikali. Nenda mpakani Namanga uone safari za Watanzania wanaoingia Kenya na Wakenya wanaoingia Tanzania, biashara baina ya raia wa nchi zote mbili halafu ukae chini na kuwauliza hao Watanzania nini maoni yao kuhusu suala nzima la EAC, watakuambia wanavyotamaushwa na hatua za kinyonga baina ya serikali husika.

Siku fulani tukiwa na Wanyarwanda na Watanzania halafu polisi wa Kenya wakatuibukia, sasa ilibidi polisi wafuate sheria kulingana na uhusiano baina nchi za kila mhusika. Kwangu mimi wakaomba kitambulisho changu cha kitaifa, kwa Wanyrwanda vile vile kitambulisho chao cha taifa, lakini kwa Watanzania wakaagiza vyeti vya usafiri au paspoti.

Kwa kifupi, Kenya, Uganda na Rwanda tulishaingia kwenye makubaliano raia wetu hawatumii tena vyeti vya usafiri ndani ya EAC, labda tu wakati wanaposafiri kwenda Tanzania ambayo imegomea kila kitu.

Geza Ulole said:

Hahah nyang'au anaanza chokochoko tena baada ya kusaini EPA! Tuone hili litaishia wapi sasa..

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tunaona Azam inaingia kenya kwa kishindo tunafikiri ni bidii kumbe kampuni zenu zinaingiza bidhaa bure????

now that kampuni zenu zimeanza ku invest kwa market ya kenya, you have something to loose, next time you guys wont be so quick

When you study regional integration in the EAC, you'll realise that this issue goes all the way even to Tariff barriers.

Kenya has currently waived all tariffs on Ugandan and Tanzanian products brought to Kenya. This means that products imported from these countries pay no 'tax' otherwise reffered to as 'tariffs'.

On the other hand, Uganda and TZ charge a 5% Tariff on kenyan products that are exported to their markets. The reason Kenya allows this to happen is mainly based on some sort of 'good faith' because TZ and UG governments claim that they really need that 5% tariff to supplement their Govt income, which are considerably lower than that of the Kenyan Govt.

This 5% tariff however also means that TZ and UG end up shooting themselves in the foot, because the goods will have to be sold at a higher cost, to meet the tax charged. In simpler terms, The two Governments end up earning a lot of money, but the citizens suffer because products become very expensive to buy.


(Keep the coments on facts. No insults or petty talk)

Kafrican, unaumwa Kenya hiihii yenye njaa inaruhusu bidhaa za Tanzania bure!

Geza Ulole said:

Kafrican, unaumwa Kenya hiihii yenye njaa inaruhusu bidhaa za Tanzania bure!

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That's why I like Tanzanians

Sasa huyu Kenyatta anahangaika na nini kutuhimiza hii free movement?

Free movement is more than waiver of work permit, means freedom to:
-look for a job in another EA country
-work there without needing a work permit
-reside there for that purpose
-stay there even after employment has finished
-enjoy equal treatment with nationals in access to employment, working conditions
and all other social and tax advantages. Has Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda waived work permit or work permit fee for EA citizen?

Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki ilianzishwa na Tanzania lakini Wakikuyu wanajifanya kiherehere. Nyie Kenya mnajiita nchi tajiri kwa nini msitulie kwenu. Nchi nyingine zimetulia lakini Wakikuyu wanatupigia kelele kila kukicha.
Haitakuja kutokea katika Jumuiya hii ardhi na ajira kuwa sehemu ya shirikisho. Mbegu korofi ya Wakikuyu hatuitaki Tanzania.

Geza Ulole said:

Kafrican, unaumwa Kenya hiihii yenye njaa inaruhusu bidhaa za Tanzania bure!

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kama ingekua ni njaa tunge waiver mahindi pekee, lakini hapa tumewaachia kila kitu ilhali nyinyi mwatulipisha kila bidhaa......... in other words, hio inathibitisha tanzania si tishio kwa kenya ikija mambo ya biashara, mnaeza nunua mashamba,anzisha biashara, uza bidhaa kana kwamba nyi wakenya, stakabadhi unayo hitaji ni paspoti yako tu

kilam said:

Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki ilianzishwa na Tanzania lakini Wakikuyu wanajifanya kiherehere. Nyie Kenya mnajiita nchi tajiri kwa nini msitulie kwenu. Nchi nyingine zimetulia lakini Wakikuyu wanatupigia kelele kila kukicha.
Haitakuja kutokea katika Jumuiya hii ardhi na ajira kuwa sehemu ya shirikisho. Mbegu korofi ya Wakikuyu hatuitaki Tanzania.

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Uganda ambapo mabasi ya kenya husafirisha watu kila siku, rwanda pia imefungulia mipaka wakenya......hakuna mashamba au ajira zilizo ibwa kwa wingi na wakenya hadi sasa, maisha huko yanaendelea tu, kwahivyo haya makovu ya ujamaa msafishe kwa nyoyo na akili zenu, uoga uoga na kujishtukia muache

Kafrican said:

kama ingekua ni njaa tunge waiver mahindi pekee, lakini hapa tumewaachia kila kitu ilhali nyinyi mwatulipisha kila bidhaa......... in other words, hio inathibitisha tanzania si tishio kwa kenya ikija mambo ya biashara, mnaeza nunua mashamba,anzisha biashara, uza bidhaa kana kwamba nyi wakenya, stakabadhi unayo hitaji ni paspoti yako tu

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Pwani yote ya Kenya wenyeji hawana ardhi Mtanzania aje kufanya nini. Ghiliba za Wakikuyu haziwezi kubadilisha msimamo wa Tanzania. Kila mtu atulie nchini mwake na amlilie Rais wake atengeneze ajira kwa watu wake. Ni upunguani kwa Mkenya kutaka sheria za Tanzania zimfurahishe yeye.

Kafrican said:

Uganda ambapo mabasi ya kenya husafirisha watu kila siku, rwanda pia imefungulia mipaka wakenya......hakuna mashamba au ajira zilizo ibwa kwa wingi na wakenya hadi sasa, maisha huko yanaendelea tu, kwahivyo haya makovu ya ujamaa msafishe kwa nyoyo na akili zenu, uoga uoga na kujishtukia muache

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Walichokifanya Jomo Kenyatta na Charles Njonjo kwenye Jumuiya ya mwanzo bado tunakikumbuka, huwezi kushirikiana na matapeli Wakikuyu.

"Afrika ni moja na waafrika wote ni ndugu zangu!"

Hugs from Tanzania.

simplemind said:

Free movement is more than waiver of work permit, means freedom to:
-look for a job in another EA country
-work there without needing a work permit
-reside there for that purpose
-stay there even after employment has finished
-enjoy equal treatment with nationals in access to employment, working conditions
and all other social and tax advantages. Has Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda waived work permit or work permit fee for EA citizen?

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Yes, I know for a fact that Kenya has. I am not quite sure about Uganda and Rwanda but I hear that EA nationals don't pay fees to work there.

The Kenyan system is that all registered EA nationals are normally issued with a foreigner's ID which accords them some of the privileges a Kenyan would normally enjoy at the work place.
Progressively, I think waiving the permits is the future and will only strengthen the workforce of the countries that have waived. However, countries that still need to protect their jobs should be given all the time they need to sort issues out. Pressure wont achieve much but benefits seen in other markets might.

Maoni yangu tu.