Trade unions clamour for free movement of workers within EAC

ARUSHA, TANZANIA: Trade unions in the region have called for enabling of workers to move freely and reside within East Africa Community states in a bid to address unemployment.

Speaking in Arusha Tuesday, Chairman the East African Trade Union Confederation (EATUC) Francis said enabling workers to move freely and work anywhere within the region remained the critical first step in addressing unemployment problems and spreading the benefit of spreading skilled labour among partner states.

Atwoli urged individual unions from Kenya, Tanzania (mainaland), Zanzibar and Uganda to commit to ensuring that many hindrances to labour mobility are overcome.

The EATUC chairman faulted EAC’s Common Market protocol ratified in 2010 for restricting free movement of labour within the region.

“The protocol prohibits students from other partner states from engaging in employment in the host country except internships and industrial attachment which is against the principle of non-discrimination.” Atwoli said.

EATUC said it will lobby EAC summit, which brings together all presidents of member states with a hope that the community will implement its request.