EALA members call for enactment of anti- Xenophobia law

EALA mebers

Members of the Region’s Parliament – the East African Legislative Assembly-EALA says that there is need for enactment of  ant- xenophobia  law to avoid  the  vice’s related violence  getting the region   unprepared.

The legislators say that as state members move on to implement and strengthen most of the protocols including free movement of labour; there is need to also look at challenges that would affect the integration.

Nancy Abisai, a delegate from Kenya says that there is need for partner states to step up efforts to sensitize people on the advantages of integration   mainly of the freedoms provided   for in the protocols.

“Xenophobia  should be  discouraged, maybe we should  come out  with a law on  this,”   she said adding Kenya  has moved in  to respect  and welcome  citizens from member states  something that should  be  promoted more.

The issue comes at the time when the region is looking at ways of promoting domestic  investment, which  implies that citizens within the  region will be able to  move  across the borders  and invest  and stay in that particular state.

“In terms of business, if people are worried of this Xenophobic attacks, then we may not be talking about investments, we don’t want to be caught up unaware,” she said

But  the region, experts say  does not show any  indicators of  such violence due to the enabling  leadership will and the people-people centred  implementation  of the  integration  process.

Abisai adds that the law should strictly emphasize that whoever will be advocating for Xenophobia shall be   identified and   dealt with according to the law.

Moreover, Dr Kessy Nderakindo, a member from Tanzania noted that there is need for more policies mainly encouraging cross border investments as well as fully implementing the existing protocols to provide opportunities to the citizens of the region.