National Assembly Committee on Regional Integration chaired by Hon. Wanjiku Muhia (Kipipiri) held a consultative meeting on integration process with different stakeholders.

During the meeting, the stakeholders; Ministry of East Africa Community, the Arid and Semi Arid Lands  (ASALs) and Regional Development, the State Department for Immigration & Citizen Services and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Secretariat, made presentations on the EAC strategies to support free movement of goods and people within the bloc and other regional bodies.

Members wanted to know why there is a  challenge in movement of people and goods across the EAC border despite the free movement protocol in place.

In her response, the Cabinet Secretary for EAC, ASALs and Regional Development, Hon. Rebecca Miano, told Members that talks were ongoing to ensure roads connecting the One Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) are up to required standards so as to accommodate cargo and people moving across the border.

Hon. Miano also told Members that measures have been put in place to reduce and eventually eliminate non-tariff barriers within the Northern Corridor.

The Director General, Directorate of Immigration Services, Mr. Alexander Muteshi, requested the Committee to engage the Treasury on their behalf and convince it 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, took Members through IGAD transhumance protocol.

Dr. Adan said that, among the objectives of the protocol is to ensure free, safe and orderly cross border mobility for pasture and water.

“Other objectives of transhumance protocol is harmonization of national laws and policies and to ensure access to social services like education and health by pastoralists, “ Dr. Adan said.