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JF-Expert Member
- Aug 5, 2011
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TANZANIA’S engineers outnumber the rest in East Africa six member states community, which is almost equal to combine total of the remaining personnel.
The number of engineers in the country based on data from Engineer Registration Board (ERB) is bigger compared to the combined number of engineers in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.
The ERB statistics show that the country has at least 17,800 engineers compared to almost 10,000 of Kenya and Uganda about half of Kenya. “This is one area which we [Tanzania Engineers] are not threatened by our counterparts in the region,” Eng Patrick Balozi of ERB told 'Daily News'.
Mr Balozi said stiff competition and donor conditions attached at construction projects they finance have been posing challenges for EAC construction firms to come to Tanzania.
“Our biggest concern is not losing a job to our fellow engineers in the region rather getting jobs from donor aided projects. The trend is if a financier finance a certain project wants a contractor, a consultant to come from the same country that has aided the project,” Eng Balozi said.
Analysts said despite the fact that some designing and engineering needs to observe local culture and tradition, still donor countries seem not to agree. Engineers gave an example of Dar Rapid Transport which was delayed due to a number of modifications made from the original plan as it was designed with Brazilian touches inapplicable to Tanzanian cultures.
"This denies us [engineers] to participate on big national projects…. we have many opportunities in the country, only if we managed to walk from this donor conditions. We don’t even consider crossing borders to other EAC member states,” Eng Balozi said.
Integrity Business and Investment Solutions, Managing Director Octavian Kivyiro said the Engineering Act 1997 contravene with EAC’s free labour movement protocol.
“Tanzania is the highest on unconforming convergence services— especially on engineering professional movement,” Mr Kivyiro said. The removal of restriction will allow engineers form either side to join hands in joint venture or merger and bid for big local and international projects.
Last week Tanzania’s stakeholders in East Africa trade and investment integration met and deliberated on steps to fast track removal of non-tariffs barriers (NTBs) and restrictions to boost cross-border trade.
The stakeholders, met under Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) umbrella, deliberated mainly on restriction based on Engineering Act and NTBs. However, Eng Patrick Balozi of Engineer Registration Board, said the proposal for amending the Engineering Act was drafted two years ago but “to date nothing have been done.”
Tanzanian engineers shine in EAC region
The number of engineers in the country based on data from Engineer Registration Board (ERB) is bigger compared to the combined number of engineers in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Burundi.
The ERB statistics show that the country has at least 17,800 engineers compared to almost 10,000 of Kenya and Uganda about half of Kenya. “This is one area which we [Tanzania Engineers] are not threatened by our counterparts in the region,” Eng Patrick Balozi of ERB told 'Daily News'.
Mr Balozi said stiff competition and donor conditions attached at construction projects they finance have been posing challenges for EAC construction firms to come to Tanzania.
“Our biggest concern is not losing a job to our fellow engineers in the region rather getting jobs from donor aided projects. The trend is if a financier finance a certain project wants a contractor, a consultant to come from the same country that has aided the project,” Eng Balozi said.
Analysts said despite the fact that some designing and engineering needs to observe local culture and tradition, still donor countries seem not to agree. Engineers gave an example of Dar Rapid Transport which was delayed due to a number of modifications made from the original plan as it was designed with Brazilian touches inapplicable to Tanzanian cultures.
"This denies us [engineers] to participate on big national projects…. we have many opportunities in the country, only if we managed to walk from this donor conditions. We don’t even consider crossing borders to other EAC member states,” Eng Balozi said.
Integrity Business and Investment Solutions, Managing Director Octavian Kivyiro said the Engineering Act 1997 contravene with EAC’s free labour movement protocol.
“Tanzania is the highest on unconforming convergence services— especially on engineering professional movement,” Mr Kivyiro said. The removal of restriction will allow engineers form either side to join hands in joint venture or merger and bid for big local and international projects.
Last week Tanzania’s stakeholders in East Africa trade and investment integration met and deliberated on steps to fast track removal of non-tariffs barriers (NTBs) and restrictions to boost cross-border trade.
The stakeholders, met under Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) umbrella, deliberated mainly on restriction based on Engineering Act and NTBs. However, Eng Patrick Balozi of Engineer Registration Board, said the proposal for amending the Engineering Act was drafted two years ago but “to date nothing have been done.”
Tanzanian engineers shine in EAC region
