Tanzania action a threat to regional integration

Flags of EAC member states during a past summit. Tanzania is expelling foreign nationals without work permits. FILE 

The strenuous terms of obtaining work permits in Tanzania are regrettable and out of touch with the spirit and principles of regional integration.

While Tanzania has a right to safeguard jobs for its people, it must do so in a reasonable manner or risk being viewed as hostile to expatriates. Tanzania has opted to charge an annual fee of Sh174,000 for a work permit and applicants must wait up to five months to obtain the documents.

By comparison, Rwanda has waived work permit fees for EAC citizens while Uganda charges Sh127, 500 and takes up to 30 days to process applications.

Kenya, which initially waived fees for East Africans, has since reintroduced a Sh168,000 charge on job seekers under the age of 35.

The high charges on work permits are not helpful for the region that has its attention on improving its common market status. Human resource forms a critical part in the wellbeing of any economy world over and Tanzania and other partner states of the East Africa Community are no exception.

We believe leaders in the region should put emphasis on nurturing talent in the region than frustrate workers through unnecessary terms of service. Workers should be allowed to freely seek opportunities within the region without being subjected to any sort of bias.

A country may have huge reserves of natural resources, but it takes a competent and sufficient labour force to convert them into actual wealth that would benefit its people.

Authorities in Tanzania should therefore rethink their actions and allow expatriates into job sectors where they have deficiency.

Several players in the private sectors are aware of the gaps in the Tanzanian labour market and have over the years opted to enrol the services of expatriates.

The policy decision by the Tanzanian government has, however, thrown them into a spin. The high cost and lengthy administrative procedures have forced most institutions to engage foreign workers informally.

This situation is not good for the region because the EAC risks being handed a blanket description as a hostile destination for expatriates and by extension investors.

We urge the Tanzanian government to review it decision and find more amicable ways of safeguarding jobs for its people.

Other members of the EAC should also strive to make it easier for workers seeking opportunities within the bloc irrespective of their nationality.