ANALYSIS OF EAST AFRICAN COMMON MARKET PROTOCOL AND IMMIGRATION: CASE STUDY KENYA

Abstract

This study sought to analyse the East African Common Market Protocol (EACMP) and Immigration with a particular focus on Kenya. The centrality of EACMP on immigration process is vital in the actualizing its objective which is to accelerate economic development and foster social ties of the East African citizenry through the elimination of barriers to regional trade and movement of East African nationals. The establishment of the Protocol has seen citizens within the EAC travel across these states to inter alia search for employment, visit, seek for educational opportunities, and undertake business. As such Kenya has been seen as an important destination for immigrants from other countries especially from East African Community member states. On this premise this research has essentially sought to establish whether the EACMP has been a solution to immigration issues and whether the legal and policy frameworks regarding immigration in Kenya and East Africa at large are tailored towards realising the objectives of the EACMP. Additionally, factors for immigration, challenges faced and the potential impact on Kenya‘s immigration policies has been be analysed. The research design used in this study was descriptive and explorative research. I used a questionnaire for the primary data collection where open ended questionnaire was used for the key respondent. The study site was Kenya. For the purpose of this study the target population was 14 respondents who include immigration official and experts in the immigration matters in Kenya.