{UAH} Tanzanians want regional integration speeded up - National - thecitizen.co.tz
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Tanzanians want regional integration speeded up - National
Deputy Minister for Communications, Science and Technology, January Makamba, speaks during the launch of East African Cooperation survey report in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO | RAFAEL LUBAVA
In Summary
MORE INFORMATION: INTEGRATION APPROVAL
- Single Tourist Visa 82%
- Travel across the region 82%
- Remain in the EAC 80%
- Infrastructure projects 78 %
- Free movement of labour 69%
- A common passport 67%
- Tax free trade 58%
- Single currency 55%
Dar es Salaam. Tanzanians have faith in the East African Community (EAC) and the majority want the country to raise the pace of the integration process, a new survey reveals. Nine out of every 10 people want Tanzania to remain in the community.
Presenting the findings yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Twaweza Researcher Elvis Mushi said 85 per cent gave the nod to integration with Kenya and Uganda while six out of every 10 citizens also backed integration with Rwanda (62 per cent) and Burundi (59 per cent).
The survey involving 1,408 respondents found that the majority of Tanzanians want a single tourist visa for the region, the ability to travel across the region with a national identity card, joint infrastructure projects, free movement of labour, a common passport, tax-free trade and a single currency. Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have already using a single tourist visa.
Said Mr Rakesh Rajan, who heads Twaweza: "The citizens have spoken almost with one voice on how strongly they support the integration process. The task for our policy-makers is to make sure they honour their demand, including making sure that Tanzania is in a strong position to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the integration."
At the launch of the survey, former EAC Secretary General Ambassador Juma Mwapachu underscored the need for the political class to ensure all the protocols Tanzania has ratified are put into effect properly. "Initially, regional integration had a politically-driven agenda and, in my opinion, this should be revived," he said. "If it lacks political support, it is likely to hit a brick wall."
Ambassador Mwapachu said it was not enough to focus on the economy, infrastructure development and social matters and political leaders in the all EAC member states should set their sights on ensuring that the integration agenda succeeds.
And he pointed out that there were leadership weaknesses in all partner states which, he said, were the genesis of misunderstanding and mistrust. According to the director of the Society for International Development, Mr Aidan Eyakuze, the findings are a clear indication that Tanzanians are optimistic about the future of East Africans and are solidly behind continued involvement with the EAC. They also keen on integration and are optimistic about the future of East Africans.
He added: "This is a sharp contrast to narratives that imply that Tanzanians are against or fearful of greater integration in the region or that they have concerns about specific countries reaping disproportionate benefits from opening borders for goods, labour, services or capital."
According to the permanent secretary in the ministry of Industry and Trade, Mr Uledi Mussa, some of African Union (AU) members are keen to skip key implementation procedures in an attempt to fast track the integration process. "Sometimes our leaders forget that regional integration is organic," he said. "We need to be systematic and progressive and, above all, understand that a child who was born yesterday cannot walk or get married."
Deputy Minister for Communication, Science and Technology January Makamba said the integration agenda should be one of the key issues to be addressed by presidential contenders in next year's General Election. Mr Makamba, who has declared his intention to vie for the presidency in the 2015 General Election, said all candidates for president should include in their manifestos how they will ensure that Tanzania remains in the EAC immediately after they assume the office of the president. "There has been a perception and fear that Tanzanians are reluctant when it comes to fast tracking the integration process...in my view, we need to increase mass education to help our people understand how they are likely to benefit from the EAC," Mr Makamba said.
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