Tanzanians To Do Business In Kenya Without Work Permits

President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that Tanzanian investors intending to set up businesses in Kenya will not be asked for visas or work permits.

The President said his administration will do all in its power to eliminate all non-tariff barriers for Tanzanian investors coming to do business in Kenya.

“You are free to come and trade here in Kenya, there will be no business visas or work permits as long as you abide by the laws of the land,” he said

President Kenyatta spoke on Wednesday in Nairobi during the Kenya-Tanzania Business Forum, also addressed by visiting Tanzania President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

“The East African Community has opened our borders and has unlocked opportunities for the free movement of goods, services, and products. Trade within our countries has thrived but we must accept it is yet to reach the level we expect.”

President Uhuru Kenyatta cautioned Tanzanians and Kenyans against competing with each, and instead focus on creating a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.

“We would like to see many investors from Tanzania coming to do business in Kenya. And I want to say this, Tanzanian investors are free to come and do business in Kenya without being required to have business visas or work permits. The only thing you will be required to do is to follow the laid down regulations and the laws that are in place,” President Kenyatta said.

At the same time, the President gave an ultimatum of two weeks to concerned state agencies to clear the jam of trucks at Namanga and Holili border crossings to allow free flow of trade.

Uhuru said in the next two weeks, concerned ministers from both sides should clear all the traffic jams at the Taveta and Namanga border points.

He said they should pay a special focus to the issuance of Covid-19 certificates to ease the movement of transit cargo.

President Kenyatta challenged the private sector to explore and seize opportunities accorded by bilateral and multilateral agreements available to East Africans such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area and the EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to grow their investments.

“The private sector should look beyond our borders and seize opportunities accorded by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, which came into effect on 1st January this year, and the older, but still important EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

“The East African Community, through the East African Customs Union and East African Community Common Market Protocol, has opened our borders and unlocked opportunities for the free movement of goods, services, and investments across the EAC borders. This has paved the way for trade to thrive, new opportunities to emerge, and trade to increase,” President Kenyatta said.

On her part, President Suluhu outlined reforms being undertaken by her administration to enhance ease of doing business and welcomed the Kenyan private sector to invest in Tanzania.