Political Impediments to Regional Integration Process: The Case of Kenya in the East African Community Common Market Protocol 2000-2018
| dc.contributor.author | Masika, Benjamin Barasa | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-12T11:15:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-12T11:15:07Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-05 | |
| dc.description.abstract | he FAC has been fronted as a vital integration arrangement with the potential of addressing the development challenges in the region. To achieve these expectations, partner states have established brilliant provisions in the EAC common market protocol aimed at deepening integration in the region. Despite the brilliant provisions of the protocol, over cight years since its ratification not much could be celebrated. The common market has not been fully actualized and partner states have continued to implement protectionist laws that have hindered the free movement of goods, services, persons, capital and the enjoyment of the right of residence and establishment. Since EAC regional integration operates in a political environment, political factors have become push factors that have driven states to reluctantly implement the EAC Common Market Protocol. This study generally attempted 108 the Political Impediments to Regional Integration Process in East Africa with focus on Kenya in the EACCMP in the period between 2000-2018. The study was guided by the following objectives; first the study sought to evaluate the level of awareness of the EAC Common Market Protocol in Kenya. It then examined the divergent protectionist laws implemented by Kenya that affected the full realization of the EAC Common Market Protocol in Kenya and finally it sought to determine the political factors that motivated Kenya to implement divergent protectionist laws that contravened the provisions of the FAC Common Market Protocol in Kenya. The study was guided by two main theories; the inter-governmentalism theory of integration and new institutional theory. Both primary and secondary data were used for the study. The study adopted a descriptive research design and the locations of the study were; EAC one stop border posts of Namanga and Busia, and in the City of Nairobi. Purposive sampling was employed for the study and out of the 400 targeted population 40 informants were selected for the study. The findings of the study revealed a number of political impediments affected the full implementation of the EACCMP in Kenya, amongst them were: the fear of loss of sovereignty, prioritization of national interest, the quest for nationalism and national pride, divided loyalty to other regional communities and lack of political will. The study among others recommends; the need to address all the political impediments affecting the EACCMP and allow law and policy reforms to be undertaken smoothly for the EACCMP to flourish. Develop good will towards its implementation by amending all divergent protectionist laws that contravene the EACCMP. | |
| dc.description.sponsorship | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/30657 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Kenyatta University | |
| dc.title | Political Impediments to Regional Integration Process: The Case of Kenya in the East African Community Common Market Protocol 2000-2018 | |
| dc.type | Thesis |