The Post- EAC Customs Union Protocol: An assessment of the Informal Cross Border Trade

A Thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts in International RelationsThe study investigates the causes of informal cross border trade in East Africa border points even with the establishment of the East^African Community Customs Union. The study has established that that majority of the traders are not familiar with the EAC Customs Union Protocols and so they may not benefit from it. The few traders aware of it are less motivated to know how the Protocol can benefit them and they perceive the opening up of trade under the evolving E A C Customs Union Protocol and promotion of formality as an interference and threat to their livelihoods. The study has established lack of formal employment fueled by inappropriate economic reforms such as structural adjustment programmes, (SAPs), rising rural-urban migration in search of often non- existent employment, and, low wages from the formal employment as the main push factors towards Informal Cross Border Trade ( I C B T )