A Dissertation submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Master of Science in Leadership and Management of the Mzumbe University 2019
This study focused on three main objectives including; to evaluate the current progress in the implementation and domestication of the Common Market Protocol on the free movement of labor in Tanzania’s labor laws, to assess the extent to which the EAC common market protocol has helped to bridge skill deficit in Tanzania and finally, to document legal and policy challenges hindering the implementation of the EAC common market protocol.
From a methodological point of view, the study adopted a sample of 112 respondents, sampled using a formula for unknown population, where 100 respondents were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire while the remaining 12 respondents were key informant interviewee. Besides, the researcher used desk review to examine records on current progress made in domesticating the protocol understudy.
The findings indicated that majority of the respondents were skeptical about the progress. The study further noted that Tanzania has not achieved much of what was anticipated under the EAC CMP largely pointing the lack of political will. Moreover, when asked how Tanzania has dealt with the gap of skills under the EAC CMP, majority of the respondents said it has been to small extent; they highlighted that, instead of gaining, the country has been located on a losing end since many foreigners are flooding into Tanzania to look for jobs in sectors like education where the skill gap is felt, where cadres are enough to serve. Further, the study found that a number of ACTS signed after the 2010 EAC CMP in place by Tanzania have been rendered inconsistent with the protocol. Some of these pieces of legislations include Non-Citizen Employment Regulation (2015); Tanzania Public Procurement Act (2016); Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act 2016 (Zanzibar); Tanzania Insurance Act Cap 394 and the Micro Insurance Regulations (2013).
It is hence recommended that Tanzania amends the said laws in order to conform to the spirit of the EAC CMP. Secondly, Tanzania needs to create more awareness about the EAC, especially with regards to its benefits among its citizens.