Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am glad to join you on this historic occasion when we usher in the boldest step in our efforts to build a strong integrated East African Common Market.

On this occasion, I salute the founding fathers of our community. We recall the vision of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Dr. Milton Obote. We thank them for planting the seed of East Africa. Despite the challenges we have faced their vision of a strong East African Community has lived on.

I also salute our modern day movers of the community. We recall the step taken in Harare, Zimbabwe at the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 1991. On that occasion the three Heads of State, retired President Daniel Arap Moi of the Republic of Kenya, retired President Benjamin Mkapa of the United Republic of Tanzania, and Yoweri Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda held a meeting and agreed to revive the East African Community. That meeting led to the establishment of the Permanent Tripartite Commission in 1993, and the formation of the EAC Secretariat in 1996. These were the institutions which oversaw the negotiations and the ultimate signing of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community on 30th November 1999. The Treaty which came into force on 7th July, 2000 provided for the four land marks in the EAC integration process of the Customs Union, Common Market, Monetary Union and ultimately the Political Federation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today we celebrate the expansion of the original idea of the community. We are now a community of five states following the successful entry of Rwanda and Burundi. I salute the people of these two nations for having the faith and trust to join the East African Community. Together we are now five countries with a total area of 1.85 million square kilometers, a combined population of 126 million people and a combined GDP of 75 billion U.S. dollars. This is a great region with vast potential for business and social networking for our people.

I note with great satisfaction the successful implementation of the East African Customs Union bringing tangible benefits to all the EAC Partner States. Indeed, the revival of the Community in general has led to increased trade among the Partner States. Contrary to fears that were expressed, implementation of the Customs Union has now led to increased revenues across all the partner states.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Increased cross-border investment within the region is being realized and firms are now increasingly basing their business plans on the regional market, rather than the national markets. The Foreign Direct Investment trend in the EAC region has been on the upward trend. According to the Uganda Investment Authority, Kenya is among the top 10 sources of foreign direct investment to Uganda with 27 licensed investment projects worth 158 million US dollars. In Tanzania, Kenya is the second biggest investor with 270 companies operating there providing jobs for more than 100,000 people.

The levels of investments in the region are set to increase with the launch of the East African Common Market Protocol. This will lead to the free movement of labour, capital, goods and services within our region. It will open up employment opportunities for our citizens. The Common Market will avail greater opportunities for trade in goods and services. The common market will also provide opportunities for greater capital mobilization to boost investment in the region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have noted that despite the huge potential benefits that are inherent in the East African Community integration process, Kenyans are not fully aware about what the Community means to them. In this regard, I call upon elected leaders at all levels to embrace the EAC integration in general and the Common Market in particular. Public servants should also play a greater role in this process to allow our citizens to reap the benefits of this positive development. It is my expectation that public servants charged with executing the Common Market especially those responsible for immigration, labour, customs and education, will facilitate the process rather than adopt a control attitude.

As we are moving towards the Common Market the existence of work permit fee chargeable to EAC citizens seeking employment in the region is a barrier to the enjoyment of the freedom of movement of workers. Rwanda and Kenya have entered into a bilateral arrangement where they have mutually waived the fee for work permits for their citizens. In this regard, I am directing the Minister responsible for immigration to waive fees on work permits for all East African citizens to facilitate the EAC citizens seeking work in Kenya.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have noted that there are national legislations which are not in harmony with the requirements of a Common Market as espoused in the Protocol. It is imperative that such conflicting laws and regulation be amended to conform with the new development so as to extend national treatment to all EAC citizens. In this regard, I am directing the Attorney General to take measures to prepare a miscellaneous amendment Bill to table in parliament for their consideration.

In conclusion, I wish to congratulate all citizens of East Africa for this historic achievement. I wish you all great prosperity under the East African Common Market. I am sure that the founding fathers of our community would be happy of the great stride we are taking today.

It is now my pleasure to officially launch the Common Market in Kenya.

Thank You, God bless you and Long live East Africa.