One stop border posts will make a more tangible integration – Shyrose (EALA MP)

By The guardian reporter

Shyrose Bhanji Tanzania�s MP at EALA

 The snail paced implementation of the East Africa Community (EAC) One Stop Border Posts (OSBP) Bill that was passed some two years ago (2013) has been cited as a factor undermining the very essence of the integration, to ease movement of people and goods across the EAC boarders.

 

Faulting the slow implementation of the Bill when she was reached for comments over the weekend, Shyrose Bhanji Tanzania’s MP at EALA was keen to complement progress made thus far but maintained firm on her call for the process to be expedited. 

 

“East Africa Community (EAC) One Stop Border Posts (OSBP) are meant to facilitate trade and movement of people in the community and that is why the East Africa Legislative Assembly ( EALA) passed the EAC One Stop Border Posts Bill in 2013,” she said.

 

The EALA Member of Parliament has just returned to the country from the EALA ....in Kigali Rwanda said trade is key to the integration and if the number of border posts are reduced then it will facilitate faster movement of goods and people.

 

“Our people are subjected to Non Tariff Barriers (NTBs) to pass through our borders...they face unnecessary delays and bureaucracy,” she noted and went on to express her concerns over the slow implementation of a decisions already reached by Partner States. 

 

“Even though in the report we are told that 85-95 % of the work done is almost complete, but two years down the road, why is the implementation not at 100%,” she queried and brushed as insufficient reasons already given as to the delay.

 

“By not completing border posts at 100% then we are negating the spirit of integration,” she said. 

 

“I am appealing to all the Heads of State to please sign the Bill because the further the delay the more we deny our people the benefits of integration that will go along away to ease the lives of our people,” she added. 

 

Summing up, she extended commendation for the part that has been achieved and efforts invested into an ongoing follow up of the process.

“I would like to commend the Chair of the Committee and all members for conducting the ongoing follow up on implementation of the Single border posts in our Partner States,” she said. 

 

Sharing similar sentiments late last week was Bobi Odiko, senior public relations officer at East African Legislative Assembly who said the OSBP are a bilateral initiative pending complete assent; “at the moment, the Bill is in Rwanda for the final assent. Already, the Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda have assented to the Bill.”

 

Recommendations for speed up of the OSBPs are also the central focus of a report on the Communication Trade and Investments (CTI) presented to the House by Kenya’s Nancy Abisai last week in Kigali Rwanda.

 

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN