Kenya’s newly-elected President Uhuru Kenyatta has reaffirmed his commitment to the regional integration as among key to his administration’s objectives during their tenure in power.“Our principal focus in enhancing trade and investments will be the East African Community and Africa at large,’’ President Kenyatta was quoted to have told the East African Community Secretary General Dr Richard Sezibera who paid a courtesy call at the State House in Nairobi on Monday.He added that trade barriers should be addressed as a matter of priority as the EAC Partners States were deepening and widening their regional co-operation.“Removal of restriction on movement of labour, free movement of people within the region will further facilitate trade and the exchange of ideas,” said President Kenyatta.Members of the East African Legislative Assembly, sitting in Kigali last week, passed a motion urging the EAC partner states to scrap work permit fees, a move that will facilitate free movement of labour, goods and services within the region.“We can do better as region than an individual country,’’ added the President.Dr Sezibera congratulated the Kenyan leader on his victory in the recently concluded presidential elections and thanked him and the people of Kenya for the exemplary manner in which the elections were conducted.He also briefed President Kenyatta on the upcoming EAC Extra-Ordinary Summit in Arusha, Tanzania, slated for April 28, which will be the first to be attended by the new Kenyan President.Dr Sezibera took the opportunity to exchange views on the status of the EAC integration and efforts to deepen and widen it.
