Soon free movement between Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya?

The East African Community (EAC) Council of Ministers wants regulations and other administrative hurdles that militate against free movement of citizens of the three member states abolished. The decision to scrap out existing impediments to ensure free movement of people within Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, was reached at by consensus at the Fourth Extraordinary Meeting of EAC Council of Ministers, held here April 8-9.

In a statement released after the consultations, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister, Kalonzo Musyoka, urged the council to approve immediate removal of restrictions, especially those concerning movement of fishermen in Lake Victoria. The lake is shared between the three countries. Musyoka stressed that the fishing community could not be expected to identify respective national borders inside the lake.

The council of ministers consented that free movement of people, goods and services within East Africa, was critical towards attainment of major objectives of the treaty that established EAC. Such objectives included achievement of sustainable growth and development of partner states. (African Church Information Service)