Tanzania is not ready to abolish EAC work permit fees-ministry

[Ngongo]

The government has said it will not rush to waive work permit fees for East Africans seeking jobs in Tanzania because such a move not only needs legal review but also a thorough assessment of its advantages and disadvantages.

The government’s reaction follows reports that the Ugandan government is set to abolish fees on work permits for Kenyan and Rwandan citizens by January of next year.

It is one of several reforms that leaders of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda launched on Monday to reduce the cost of doing business and speed up the movement of goods and people among their countries.

Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya met in Kigali on Monday where they signed for a Single Customs Territory (SCT) for the three countries.

Unmoved, Head of communication department in the Ministry of East Africa Corporation, Vedastina Justinian said Tanzania will not haste to waive work permit fees until some of the laws that have to do with immigration, capital flows and security have been revised.

“We will be in a better position to waive work permit fees upon the revision of these laws,” she said.

Justinian also said Tanzania will not bow to pressure from its EAC partner states to sign treaties that would not in one way or the other benefit the country and its people.

She confirmed that Tanzania and Burundi were not invited in a previous meeting conducted recently by the governments of Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda as was the case with the Monday meeting to which President Jakaya Kikwete and Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza were not invited.

The Head of communication said all meetings that involve EAC are coordinated by the regional body’s Secretariat and as such, Tanzania does not recognise meetings which are not coordinated by EAC and which do not involve other partner states.

Under the agreed Single Customs Territory, tax on goods imported into the three countries will be paid at Mombasa port and trucks weighed only at boarder crossings. Also, roadblocks from Mombasa to Kigali will be eliminated and weighbridges reduced from nine to three, thus eliminating time and cost of transporting goods from Mombasa to the hinterland.

Transit time for containers from Mombasa to Kampala and Mombasa to Kigali has already dropped from 18 days down to five and from 22 days to eight respectively.




SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

 

[Hoshea]

Waendelee tu,
No need to revise the law.

 

[sanjo]

"Coalition of Willing" is basically a Kenyan economic interest pursuit tool of outsmarting Tanzania as the regional hub for East and Central Africa. This struggle/tension will always be there so long the sleeping giant i.e Tanzania is cautiously consolidating its role in the region. Coordinated integration with other EAC members is important if we want to create a long lasting East Africa community.

 

[majiyachai]

"Coalition of Willing" is basically a Kenyan economic interest pursuit tool of outsmarting Tanzania as the regional hub for East and Central Africa. This struggle/tension will always be there so long the sleeping giant i.e Tanzania is cautiously consolidating its role in the region. Coordinated integration with other EAC members is important if we want to create a long lasting East Africa community.

The West does not like any "Third World" country to move up the ladder. They are busy dismantling already established economies like those in the Maghreb world - a move that has caused the current serious World Economic crisis!!!
In a similar style, when the five East African countries formed EAC, then set optimistic goals, they had to look for a way of weakening it; the best way to destroy this was create rifts; With Tanzania willing to be a cosy puppet of the West, its being used to undermine the strength of the EAC.

Dump as we are, we cannot read these rogue moves, rather we easily dance to the tune of a few political whims deliberately made to destroy us.
EAC are neighbours. As much as you try to soil the EAC, our relationships are there to stay; this is why we have almost everybody in Kagera region having relatives in Rwanda & Uganda; almost all residents of Mara/Namanga/Usambara/Tanga/ region will have a Kenyan connection. Those of Kigoma need not be queried about their Burundian/DRC connection because it is rife, it is real; it was not made by the Fourth republic, neither will the Fourth Republic break these ties. Business ties in the said regions follow in the same line.... NEEDLESS TO SAY that they have been serving as a lifeline of many families in these regions; pay Taxes to the Central Government and in the end contribute to the growth of the ECONOMY of this country.
Apparently when you sit in DAR/DODOMA, you get easily drowned by propaganda.
Think outside the box. Neighbours' importance is indescribable. You need not have a politician to expound on this theme because the best they can do is to throw us in the ditch.
Pragmatic changes are the only out to be effected not by Politicians but by Workers; open-up!!

 

[Mkwe21]

Basically I know what are Kenyan Ugandan and Rwandan are looking for!! This issue of works permits is a big threatening to them in flooding to Tanzania!! Some of the employers are looking for Workers who have the Capacity of communicating in English, but this is not a problem lets stand on our own foots! Kenyans and Rwandese assumes they are clever than we are! That is fine but if they want to work in our country is better they pay for the work permit!! I am in the opinion that if the employers wants workers from abroad means they have enough surplus so is their time to contribute to our economy for paying for work permits which will assist our economy to crow and educate more peoples. Work permits is our source of income let them not threatening us!! They can impose also on their country!! Basic work permit fee which is reasonable can be usd 2000 and above per year depend on qualifications.

 

[iMind]

Ndo yale yale ambayo tumekuwa tukisema. Kila kitu hatuko tayari sasa hiyo jumuiya ita move vipi? Wengine wakiendelea mnalalamika mmetengwa.

Ni uoga wa bure, sioni tatizo kuruhusu free labour movement kwenye nchi za ea. Vijana wetu wanaweza jamani, watashindana tu.

Tusiogope wakenya. Unafikiri wao wana nini ambacho sisi hatuwezi?

Hatuwezi kuishi kwa kujifungia tuu katika ulimwengu wa utandawazi. Hatuwezi kukomaa kushindana bila kuingia kwenye ushindani. Tuingie kama tulivyo halafu mambo yatajiset accordingly

 

[Mimibaba]

The West does not like any "Third World" country to move up the ladder. They are busy dismantling already established economies like those in the Maghreb world - a move that has caused the current serious World Economic crisis!!!
In a similar style, when the five East African countries formed EAC, then set optimistic goals, they had to look for a way of weakening it; the best way to destroy this was create rifts; With Tanzania willing to be a cosy puppet of the West, its being used to undermine the strength of the EAC.

Dump as we are, we cannot read these rogue moves, rather we easily dance to the tune of a few political whims deliberately made to destroy us.
EAC are neighbours. As much as you try to soil the EAC, our relationships are there to stay; this is why we have almost everybody in Kagera region having relatives in Rwanda & Uganda; almost all residents of Mara/Namanga/Usambara/Tanga/ region will have a Kenyan connection. Those of Kigoma need not be queried about their Burundian/DRC connection because it is rife, it is real; it was not made by the Fourth republic, neither will the Fourth Republic break these ties. Business ties in the said regions follow in the same line.... NEEDLESS TO SAY that they have been serving as a lifeline of many families in these regions; pay Taxes to the Central Government and in the end contribute to the growth of the ECONOMY of this country.
Apparently when you sit in DAR/DODOMA, you get easily drowned by propaganda.
Think outside the box. Neighbours' importance is indescribable. You need not have a politician to expound on this theme because the best they can do is to throw us in the ditch.
Pragmatic changes are the only out to be effected not by Politicians but by Workers; open-up!!

Do not blame any ona on the current problems

1. Blame the ICC candidates

2. Blame your self instead of seriously getting to grips with issues you have engaged in blame games

I never liked EAC, I do not like it now and I will never like it for just one reason the "coalition of the willing" is an axis of evil that is why they are all ICC candidates

 

[MUKAMASIMBA]

Do not blame any ona on the current problems

1. Blame the ICC candidates

2. Blame your self instead of seriously getting to grips with issues you have engaged in blame games

I never liked EAC, I do not like it now and I will never like it for just one reason the "coalition of the willing" is an axis of evil that is why they are all ICC candidates

Watu kama nyie ndio mliisha safishwa kichwani na wazungu,hao unao ita ICC candidates hao ndio viongozi wasio takiwa na wazungu always wanao ongoza kwa interest za wananchi wao bila kujali interest za wazungu watakua candidate wa ICC,sorry try to be panafrican.