Regional Integration Committee Holds A Familiarization Meeting With Stakeholders
Cabinet Secretary for EAC, ASALs and Regional Development, Rebecca Miano
By: John Kariuki
National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration chaired by Wanjiku Muhia (Kipipiri) held a consultative meeting on integration processes with different stakeholders.
During the meeting that was held at Serena Hotel, Mombasa, the stakeholders; Ministry of East Africa Community, the ASALs and Regional Development, the state department for Immigration & Citizen Services and IGAD Secretariat, presented to the committee on the EAC strategies to support free movement of goods and people within the bloc and other regional bodies.
Members at the committee sought to know what ailed free movement of people and goods across the EAC border despite the free movement protocol currently in place.
In her response, the Cabinet Secretary for EAC, ASALs and Regional Development, Rebecca Miano, told the members that talks were in place to ensure roads connecting the One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) are up to the required standards so as to accommodate cargo and people moving across the border.
“Conversation with other relevant stakeholders are ongoing to ensure roads connecting the OSBPs are up to the standard and the environment around these posts improved in order to accommodate cargo and people moving across the border,” she said.
The Director General, Directorate of Immigration Services, Alexander Muteshi, raised concerns on lack of funds for implantation of various programmes asking the committee to intervene for treasury to allocate and release adequate funds on time.
“We have a backlog of 60,000 passports awaiting printing. This is a result of lack of booklets and a printer. Every day we get 3,000 passports applications,” Mr. Muteshi said.
The IGAD Secretariat led by Dr. Fatuma Adan who is the IGAD head of mission to Kenya, enlightened the members of the IGAD transhumance protocol.
Dr. Adan revealed that, among the objectives for the protocol is to ensure free, safe and orderly cross border mobility for pasture and water.
After the familiarization retreat, the committee members are now expected to be well conversant with a number of issues touching on EAC and their mandate as a committee.
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