Editor,

Reference is made to Kenneth Agutamba’s article, "Visa for Africans visiting Africa” (The New Times, May 31).

The only problem I have with Mr Agutamba is that he makes too much sense. I have heard the same question being asked and no answer. What are these leaders afraid of?

I disagree with him on one point though; the assertion that eliminating visa restrictions does not require donor money. Well, you know us Africans have to be paid by foreigners in order to do simple things that benefit us.

One Africa in our lifetime? Answer is no; maybe 50 to 100 years from now.

Timmy Pasi

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From Mr Agutamba’s story, few points I believe should be recorded:

Do not assume things are OK without getting OK from different stakeholders: in his case, traveling with different companies, different countries without all the documents being approved, will internally let one know that you might face issues on the road…and you should not be surprised if it does happen.

Coming back to the visa-free issue across all African countries, I personally think that the weakness in police departments of certain countries could explain why certain countries do not open yet their borders to everybody.

The threat that they will have—all the population from "other countries”, coupled with poor or thin-on-ground police force unable to track overstaying people, — can explain this.

I’m not sure if Rwanda took this decision without reviewing this issue and taking measures to ensure that overstaying residents are easily tracked.

Alain