For the last six (6) years, the East African Community(EAC) has recognised the role of the informal sector in generating employment opportunities and increasing people’s per capita income; in both rural and urban areas and they utilise use of rawmaterials around them such as Banana fibres, sisal, papyrus etc..to produce unique african products.
In 1999, the EAC launched the annual Jua kali/Nguvu Kazi (small scale industries/informal sector) exhibitions.
It was jointly officiated by the East African presidents: Yoweri Kaguta Musevene of Uganda, Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and former Kenyan president Daniel Arap Moi.
It was during the same year, that a treaty for the establishment of the EAC was signed, giving birth to the first East African Jua kali exhibition.
The sector is recognised for being a cornerstone to regional industrialisation paving way for development of Large-scale industries.This is attributed to the constant innovations,
modernisation as well as adapting new techinics of production.
Upon that background the informal sector has consequently been incorporated into programmes of the EAC trade, industry and investiment committee.
In otherwords, the Jua kali is involved in the East African industrial development strategy, establishment of the regional customs Union and the overall Private Sector Development strategy.
By Kisaakye Irene Uwase.
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