Kandie upbeat on integration of EAC economies

By PHILIP MWAKIO

Kenya: The integration of the East African Community (EAC) process has received a fresh impetus with the recent signing of the Monetary Union Protocol, Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie has said.

 Speaking at the Mombasa Beach Hotel on Monday, Kandie, who is the Cabinet Secretary in charge of the East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism, said the Monetary Union protocol was a clear demonstration by EAC member states that they seek to integrate their economies.

Kandie was addressing a retreat for Kenyan members of the East African legislative Assembly and senior officers from the State Department of East African Affairs.

The retreat is aimed at hammering a common ground on how to spearhead the integration process in Kenya.

“The ministry is now prioritising awareness creation among Kenyans to enable them understand the intergration agenda and the pillars on which it stands – the Custom Union, the Common Market, and Monetary Union – because all of these protocols have already been signed,” she said.

Kandie, who was accompanied by Principal Secretary in charge of EAC Affairs Mwanamaka Mabruki, said Kenyans need to know what the final pillar ¬– the Political Federation – entails.

“The second possible area of focus is the harmonisation of standards and taxes to facilitate trade. The objective of the EAC is to create opportunity and spread prosperity across the region,” she said.

Kandie stressed that to achieve this, member states need to encourage selling more and buying more within the region and ensure a common set of standards and taxes, which is crucial to achieving the set goals.

She added that the harmonisation of tariffs in the communications sector should be a special focus area, especially roaming charges within the EAC partner states.

“In order to reduce the cost of doing business, roaming charges have to come down as soon as possible,” the cabinet secretary said.

Kandie challenged members present to come up with key areas that Kenya can focus on for implementation this year.

President Uhuru Kenya is chair of the EAC summit while Kandie  chairs the Council of Ministers in the EAC.

Chairman of the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) members, Kenyan chapter, Joseph Kiangoi said they will use the two-day retreat to identify key areas of co-operation with the ministry.

Kenyan Eala members present included Peter Mathuki, Mumbi Ngaru, Sarah Bonaya, Abubakar Zein Abubakr, Judy Pareno, Saoli ole Nkanai, Ogle Abubakar and Nancy Abisai.

The EAC monetary union protocol was  signed during the Heads of State summit in Kampala last November.