Land still obstacle to EAC integration

BY BUSINESS REPORTER

AS negotiations on the establishment of the East African Community Political Federation gather steam, citizens within the bloc remain wary that they would lose their land.

These are the observations of a regional team of experts in a report titled; “Addressing the fears, concerns and challenges of the East African Federation” that was recently released.

According to the report, which was based on political, economic, cultural and social concerns in citizens from all partner states, concerns were raised about differences in land tenure systems of partner states and loss of land due to free movement and rights of establishment within the EAC partner states.

Reports indicate that some member countries with huge chunks of unutilized land fear to lose their land to citizens from other member states once the political federation is effected.

During the recent 13th Ordinary Summit of the East African Community in Bujumbura Burundi, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, Lazaro Nyarandu, clearly stated that land should not be part of EAC political federation, claiming that some of the member countries have been eyeing Tanzania’s land with a “greedy eye”.

“We’ll never allow that, doing so would be betrayal of our own people. There are member countries that are struggling to bounce-back with the issue of land in the regional bloc’s set-up,” he said.

He stated that Tanzania position was very “firm” and would not be shaken when it comes to issues of national interests.

The protocol on EAC common market article 13 on the rights of establishment and residence gives rights to the nationals of the partner states to take up and pursue economic activities as a self employed person in the territory of another partner state.