KENYAN delegation from the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection has acknowledged that Tanzania has made a huge step in overseeing labour matters, citing safety and health at workplaces in particular.
The delegation was in Tanzania for a four-day working visit to share experiences with the Occupational Safety and Health Authority (OSHA).
Speaking after concluding their visit at OSHA’s offices in Dar es Salaam, the entourage through their ministry’s Principal Secretary Geoffrey Kaituko, wondered why many countries in Africa have been looking for experiences abroad while the same could be obtained in their neighbouring countries.
“Our tour here in Tanzania has been very fruitful. We have visited various institutions under the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability) where we have learnt so many things and we are very happy,” he said.
He admitted that Tanzania through OSHA has been successful in overseeing issues of safety and health at workplaces.
“The takeaway here is that we are also going to introduce the institute like this back home,” Mr Kaituko affirmed.
For his part, Tanzanian Permanent Secretary for the docket, Prof Jamal Katundu, explained that through the visit of the Kenyan experts his office learned number of things including how Kenya enabled many of its citizens securing jobs abroad and thus bringing in the country more foreign currency.
For instance, over 120,000 Kenyans work in Saudi Arabia and over 60,000 Kenyans have been employed in Qatar.
“I have directed director responsible for employment to see how we can borrow leaf from Kenya in this area so as we benefit more from Tanzanians working abroad,” Prof Katundu said.
OSHA’s Chief Executive Officer Khadija Mwenda said the visit of the Kenyan delegation has opened up another chapter of cooperation between Tanzania and Kenya especially in matters relating to laws and various regulations, something which will enhance more investment in two countries and bring efficiency in implementing the EAC common market.
‘We had constructive conversations, we have learnt from each other considering that we are all members of the EAC in which we aim to implement the common market effectively,” Ms Mwenda pointed out.
This calls for harmonised laws and regulations in order to facilitate investment and trade.
