Editor,This is with reference to the article, “Uganda to waive work permit fees for Rwandans, Kenyans”, published in The New Times issue of October 29.I commend the governments of Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and South Sudan for this much-awaited good news. There are creative, hardworking citizens of the East African Community who may wish to work freely across the regional bloc but get disenchanted and their vibrant dreams crippled. Citizens across the EAC region may want to move across the borders to learn from their counterparts. Yet this would not be possible without member states waiving work permit fees for citizens from the other partner states. We dream of becoming competent expats and we need to borrow a leaf from our brothers and sisters whom I think advanced while Rwanda was still under tyrannical and genocidal regimes that led to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi.I would also urge our governments to respect the EAC protocols. I don’t know whether I am right or not, but I remember that it was agreed that goods manufactured within the bloc would not be taxed at the border but this doesn’t look to be the case.I wish to remind our dear governments to respect the covenant they had with their citizens because this is the only way that will ensure us that future projects will succeed.Mutara Intore, Kigali
