EATUC-EALA Meeting on Social Security Portability Bill, 5th March 2019, Zanzibar
The lack of portability of social security benefits in East Africa Community now 9 years since the Common Market Protocol came in force is a great impediment to free movement of labour in EAC.
05/03/2019 12:00 am
The lack of portability of social security benefits in East Africa Community now 9 years since the Common Market Protocol came in force is a great impediment to free movement of labour in EAC. The absence of a comprehensive guidance to how to achieve this does not make matters any better.
On 5th March 2019 EATUC has had yet another fruitful discussion with the East African Legistlative Assembly(EALA) members of the Committee of General purpose on the possibility of a Social Security Portability Bill.
The bill sets to inform on which benefits should be portable; the issue of reciprocity between social security systems in origin and destination countries; where should benefits be taxed; who pays the pension when individuals are eligible in more than one country among others.
EATUC Executive Secretary Sist. Caroline Mugalla said “We have long task ahead of us but with such positive remarks from the committee we cannot stop to be optimistic of possibility of a proper regulatory framework for portability of social security with EAC learning from Rwanda and Burundi who are already doing it, Looking forward to the continued support from our cooperating partners the Solidarity Center and others”.
