COTU criticises Kenya's persistence on EU's EPA deal

Kenya's umbrella body of trade unions has criticised the government for its persistent stand on the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with the European Union.

Central Organisation of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli said Kenya, just like her neighbours, should instead act cautiously as the agreement will not only turn the country into a dumping destination for unsolicited products but also kill its industrialisation dream.

Atwoli said Kenya should restrain itself from being the "European Ambassador" in lobbying the rest of the regional Member States of the East Africa Community into signing the EPA's.

"Kenya should equally be cautions that its move to sign EPA's against the wish of its colleagues in the region is likely to jeopardise the much needed regional integration," warned Atwoli.

Signing of the EPA as a bloc is meant to give the region more bargaining power against the EU.
Atwoli said opening up our markets for unfiltered free access by European goods (including dumping) will greatly hamper individual regional country's efforts to industrialize.

"This is the same trend that has over the years killed our infant industries leading to their subsequent closure," said Atwoli.

He added: "It is wrong for the  government to only look at horticulture and flower industries that will benefit from the deal at the expense of the many other sectors."

Under the leadership of its new president Dr John Magufuli has openly showed little interest in signing maintaining that it will kill the local industries.

Burundi is also cautious but because of grudge it holds on EU over the bloody 2015 political unrest that saw its leader Pierre Nkurunziza and his aide slapped with travel bans and their assets frozen.

Industrialising the country being one of Magufuli's presidential agenda, a recent meeting in Tanzania, Dar-es-Salaam over the EU deal that was attended by Deputy President William Ruto aimed at convincing the hard-lined leader to sign the EPA could only but extend the deadline of October 1 to January 2017.

Already EAC leaders have urged the EU not to subject goods to tax when the October deadline hits but wait until 2017 with the hope that by the time a solution would have been reached that will enable the region to move in as a bloc.

Kenya is said to be the biggest loser with huge taxes if the deal is not signed by her neighbours(or if EU sticks to the October deadline) as it is not only a major exporter to Europe(mainly flowers) but it is no longer categorized as a low class economic country hence no trade incentives.

"Let the Kenya government be alive to all these issues including the fact that the government will lose huge revenue as a result of signing the EPAs and no doubt continue to hamper our Industrialization process," said Atwoli.

He added: "Inclusion of the social clause in these agreements as cited under the Social Development Goals, remains key in guaranteeing workers support since this clause will now force all business operatives from both ends to recognise Collective Bargaining Agreements, CBAs with Trade Unions."