The Implications of East Africa Regional Integration on Immigration Policies: a Case Study of Kenya

Abstract

Kenya places a high value on migration, particularly as it relates to regional integration in East Africa. For a long time, migration policies have been linked to the movement of people, goods, labor, and capital from one sovereign state to another. This study examines the implications of East Africa regional integration on immigration policies: a case study of Kenya. Three key objectives will guide the study to examine the factors that affect immigration trends in the East African region, examine the implications of East African Integration on immigration policies in Kenya, and examine the government of Kenya's response to immigration policies due to East Africa integration. This research used the migration theory as advanced by Ravenstein Ernest George Ravenstein in his 'Laws of Migration' in 1885. This study adopted a mixed-method research design. This design adopted both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This study was mainly conducted in Nairobi, which hosts the two EAC-related ministries, and most immigrants reside. The migrants were accessed through sampling at the various points of entry in Kenya. The researcher then applied the concepts from Neuman's book to a small population (under 1000); for a high degree of precision, a large sampling ratio (around 10%) was needed. Hence, the target population was 100 respondents comprising immigration officials, EAC Ministry employees, foreign affairs officials, Civil society organizations, and migrants. Both primary and secondary data were relied upon. The collected data were analyzed through content analysis for qualitative data and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21, which generated frequency distributions and percentages for quantitative data. The findings of the study were. The EAC integration has led to the free flow of people within the East African region resulting in various immigration policies in Kenya. Among them are policy and administrative responses. The policy responses the Kenyan Constitution of 2010, the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act of 2011, the Refugee Act of 2006, and the East Africa Community Customs Management Act of 2004 were all harmonized in accordance with the Common Market Protocol domestication to improve the free movement of people, capital, and services within the EAC Region. The study, therefore, recommends that based on strong immigration trends in East Africa, the governments should abolish passports among EAC citizens to simplify and facilitate the process of cross-border movement. Consequently, countries in the EAC region should establish a harmonized cross-border policy to facilitate inter-state movement. (Common Identity Card).