Following the agreement last year between Rwanda and Kenya to remove the requirements for work permits for the citizens of each country to work and reside in the other, Kenya is now also moving towards the same agreement with Uganda, which will make the movement of labor an early reality, even before the respective East African Community protocol is fully implemented.

Until now, many Kenyans lived and worked in Uganda, and vice versa Ugandans lived and worked in Kenya, most of them going through the process of first obtaining the cumbersome work permits but many also just ignoring the bureaucratic requirements of residence and work. The development will come as a relief, therefore, to the citizens of each country and also of many employers who had to pay for the fees and were burdened with the paperwork.

Many hotels in Uganda are run by Kenyan general and senior managers, and generally the tourism industry can benefit in Uganda from these waivers as the employment of well-trained, competent, and experienced staff is now possible without any restrictions over nationality.

There has been no confirmation if Burundians, too, will be included and when Tanzania is entering into a similar agreement with the sister states in the East African Community.