EA business body joins frays against Kenyan lawmaker

Arusha. The East African Business Council, (EABC) has condemned the recent xenophobic statements by a Kenyan lawmaker. The apex body of private sector associations and corporates has described the comments by Starehe MP Charles Njagua Kanyi alias 'Jaguar' as reckless.

"The statements are unfortunate and unwarranted and negate the spirit and gains of the East African Community", EABC executive director Peter Mathuki said on Saturday. He added that the remarks by the legislator were not in line with the EAC Treaty and the Common Market protocol also ratified by Kenya.

Mr. Mathuki urged all the partner states in the bloc to avoid such remarks and instead respect the rights of each country as enshrined in the EAC Treaty.

"The EAC citizens have the right to establish their businesses in any partner states and pursue economic activities in accordance with the national laws of the partner state", he explained.

Mr Mathuki, a former East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) member from Kenya, commended the Kenyan government for retracting the remarks made by its MP.

Nairobi authorities have in the past one week repeatedly affirmed their commitment to the EAC cooperation in response by the wild remarks made by their MP on foreigners doing business in Kenya.

Those who were targeted by his remarks include Tanzanian, Ugandan and Chinese traders doing business in Nairobi as well as investors from the same and other countries.

The Kenyan government has distanced itself from the xenophobic remarks,saying it would not discriminate nationals from other states on grounds of nationality.

The matter was raised at the just-ended Eala session in Arusha where a Kenyan cabinet minister played down recent offensive utterances.

The minister for EAC Affairs Adan Mohamed said the remarks made by the legislator should be ignored.

The minister made the clarification in Arusha when speaking before the House on Thursday during the just-ended session of the East African Legislation Assembly (Eala).

He disassociated the Kenyan government from the 'utterances' of the lawmaker which called for expulsion of foreigners doing trade in Nairobi and other areas in Kenya.

"Kenya is duly and fully committed to the EAC integration", the minister said, warning the like-minded politicians in his country "who may be harbouring similar agenda".