The efficacy of investment and trade regulation in Uganda to implement the EAC objectives

This research entails four cross-cutting themes namely: strengthening of internal trade and investments, the effective regulation of foreign direct investments and the achievement of EAC goals in Uganda. The main objective of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of the trade and investment laws of Uganda so as to achieve the EAC economic goals. After a critical analysis of the said laws through field research this researcher found the laws to be lacking, archaic and not harmonized to enable Uganda achieve the EAC economic objectives. This is because these laws violate the principle of most favored nation, the principle of nondiscrimination in trade and they don’t stipulate incentives aimed at facilitating internal trade and investments. In terms of foreign direct investments, there is no law that regulates matters of foreign employment. As a result there are no employment quotas for foreigners working in Uganda. There is no law that requires mandatory employment of locals in foreign firms and the transfer of technical knowledge from foreigners is unachievable as no conditions have been laid to achieve the same. This researcher recommends amendment of Uganda’s trade and investments laws to match the current integration developments, passing of the local content law, streamlining the administration of FDIs to one government agency and full implementation of the EAC Treaty and its protocols.