Africa must make it easier for its people to move across borders, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Gladys Boss Shollei has said, calling for stronger air links and a common visa system to support trade, employment and economic cooperation.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Tuesday, Shollei said poor air connectivity between African countries was slowing down efforts to bring the continent closer together.
She said travellers are often forced to pass through Europe to reach other African countries because of limited direct flights, making travel longer and more difficult.
Shollei, who is also Uasin Gishu Woman Representative gave the example of her planned trip to The Gambia, saying she would have to travel through Europe because there are few direct connections linking African countries.
She proposed that African countries explore the idea of creating a shared continental airline instead of having every country operate and maintain its own national carrier.
According to Shollei, a common airline could strengthen connections between African countries and make movement across the continent easier.
The Deputy Speaker said countries should focus on joint solutions rather than each government trying to build and sustain its own airline.
She argued that better transport links would not only make travel easier but would also help expand trade and reduce Africa's reliance on transport systems and markets outside the continent.
Shollei also questioned the visa restrictions Africans face when travelling to other African countries, saying the continent should develop a system that allows easier movement across borders.
She pointed to the European Union as an example of how countries can work together to make travel between member states easier.
"If I'm going to France, I go to get a French visa, but the French visa is actually a European Union visa, which means I can travel anywhere in the European Union. So it should be the same thing for us that I apply for a visa to come to Kenya. It means it can allow me to go to South Africa. It can allow me to go to Nigeria, whatever country."
She said Africa should reconsider restrictions that make it difficult for its own citizens to travel, arguing that easier movement would create more opportunities for economic cooperation.
Shollei also drew from Africa's history, saying communities were able to move across areas before modern borders divided the continent into separate territories.
"Actually, we never had this thing called territories. We just had people who migrated. In terms of borders, we didn't have borders. We knew particular boundaries, but there was always free movement. We were very forward-thinking. Our ancestors were forward-thinking."
Her remarks came as African lawmakers continue discussions on ways of bringing national laws and policies closer together to support economic integration.
The Uasin Gishu County MP said legislators within the Commonwealth were using parliamentary platforms to explore common solutions to challenges affecting different countries.
"Part of this, what we were doing in Lilongwe, was part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and we keep on discussing how we can all amend our laws so that they can merge, so that we can be able to do things that help us economically, that help our people in terms of movement, in terms of trade, in terms of employment, things like that. In terms of dealing with health issues and so on."
Shollei said some issues affecting African countries cannot be fully addressed through separate national laws, pointing to the African Continental Free Trade Area as one of the initiatives that require countries to work together.
She further revealed that Kenya will host the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in May next year.
Shollei said she travelled to Lilongwe to receive the hosting flag on behalf of the Speaker, marking Kenya's role in the upcoming meeting.
She said the wider goal should be to create a continent where Africans can move, trade, seek employment and access opportunities without facing unnecessary barriers.
For Shollei, improving air connections, easing visa requirements and aligning policies would help make African integration more practical and beneficial to ordinary citizens.