Kampala City traders have indicated that they are not ready for the East African Common Market because of low levels of industrialization in Uganda.
The spokesman of the Kampala City Traders Association Issa Ssekito says, the situation is further worsened by the nature of Uganda which is landlocked.
Kampala traders
The East African Common Market Treaty, which is the first of its kind on the African Continent, was signed in 2009, by leaders of the five-member bloc of the East African Community.
The treaty allows free trade, movement and right of residence of all traders who are citizens of the five East African Community countries Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi.
Ssekito told Ultimate Media in Kampala today, that Ugandan traders will be easily outcompeted by traders from more industrialized East African countries like Kenya.
He appealed to the East African Community and the Uganda government to first address the challenges faced by Ugandan traders as a result of the implementation of the East African Customs Union before moving to another step.
Countries of the East African Community Bloc have already slashed work permits for their citizens. The initiative aims at allowing free movement of labour to enable the rapid economic growth of the five East Africa Community Countries and reduce the problem of unemployment.
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