East African Business Week (Kampala)

Dar Es Salaam — The much-awaited East African Common Market started off on July 1, 2010 with each of the five countries that form a bloc - Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania- opening few areas apart from some comfortable job sections.

For instance, Tanzania has opened her education sector only in the private sector, health, agriculture and mining sectors but with specific conditions to each, minister for East African Cooperation, Dr Didorous Kamala, said.

"But it has to be clear that the gates are open only in Tanzania mainland since Zanzibar is still doing evaluations on whether to open the education sector to the rest of the member states.

This is normal since countries are allowed to do so and if a country has enough human resources as Zanzibar is saying, why open up? You don't just open for the sake," explained Dr Diodorous Kamala, who is the minister for East African Cooperation.

Uganda and Kenya have opened administration, managerial and areas that need expertise.

The new entrants, Burundi and Rwanda have followed suit, opening up borders as well as jobs. The minister urged members of the EAC to observe and follow the guidelines offered in the common market.

"Dont just move anyhow, first know what jobs are open to the members, where and when. Also take note of the conditions to avoid inconveniences," he said.

He said for instance, for any person moving into Tanzania for a job, a work permit is a must and that other procedures like having the passport are just unavoidable.

According to Kamala, the current EAC will live much longer, if not as far as the human race exists, due to what he said are better methods

of reaching decisions, implementation and the fact that there won't be big companies owned in common.

This is unlike the original EAC that only lasted for 10 years. Kamala said the community's way of reaching decisions is mainly by consensus. "No country is obliged to take a decision on a matter that is not positive to its development. That is why each country is opening areas it deems beneficial to it," he said.

The lauch of the common market leaves two other areas on the integration agenda; The common currency and political integration. The common currency is expected to be in force in 2012.

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