This study was conducted to examine factors affecting economic integration in the East African Community (EAC) with a special focus on the effects of lack of political will on the economic integration of EAC. Other specific objectives included assessing the effect of leadership on economic integration, evaluating the effect of coalition of the willing on economic integration and assessing the effect of sensitization on economic integration in East Africa Community. The study was conducted in Arusha Region, the headquarters of EAC in Tanzania. The units of analysis were EAC secretariat and others stakeholders from EAC partner states attending different meetings and forums at the EAC headquarters during the study period. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering respondents from all five EAC. A total of 89 respondents were obtained though stratification based on country of origin and departments, and later randomly selected from each stratum for interviews. Data was analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were employed in the analysis. It was established that the economic integration in EAC is mainly impinged by factors resulting from political will of EAC leaders. Most agreements and establishments agreed at secretariat level were found not to be effectively implemented by political leaders of EAC partner states. It was realized that most articles in the Treaty established EAC are not effectively being adhered to. There is no free movement of people, goods and services in EAC. Poor progress as revealed in relation to free of people, goods and services implies lack of political support of the whole integration process. This also implies that political leaders in the EAC member states are not performing as required and the secretariat lucks strict means to enforce the implementation agreements by political leaders. Lack of trust among EAC people, different economic setups and fear of losing sovereignty in respective states was found to politically affect the integration process. The creation of the ‘coalition of the willing’ was found to have resulted from the notion that some EAC partner states lack political will in implementation of the agreements towards economic integration of EAC, while on the other hand, it was found to have negative impact on the economic integration. Lack of political will among EAC partner states was found to affect fund remittance of EAC. The main challenges in remitting were established that some countries were not remitting funds as required and that some member states do not have enough funds to support own budget. It is recommended EAC leadership at state level and secretariat show revise, monitor and evaluate the implementation of agreements geared towards economic integrations at all levels. Likewise, EAC leadership in each member state need strengthen internal sources of funds so as to fully support EAC with own budget. There is also great need to harmonize the country policies and strategies and legal framework in line with EAC strategies.

This study sought to investigate the factors that influence access to debt finance by Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in Chwele Town, Bungoma County. The categories of firms under study were all registered MSEs in operation at the time. The study examined the following objectives: to determine the effect of Collateral security on access to debt finance, to establish effect of financial information on access to debt finance and to determine the effect of managerial competence on access to debt finance. The study employed a descriptive research design. The target population was 256 MSEs from which a sample size of 120 MSEs was selected using Nassiuma (2000) formula. Data was collected using self-administered questionnaires. The raw data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and regression. The first study objective sought to establish the relationship between the Collateral security and access to debt finance by MSEs in Chwele Township. It was established that most of the respondents had not pledged Collateral security for finance while. Most of the indicated that the nature of the Collateral security offered was private property which included their land. The study further established that respondents who could not provide Collateral security had their finance requests declined. From the regression analysis it was established that Collateral security and access to debt finance are positively related. The second objective aimed at establishing the relationship between financial information maintained by the firm and access to debt finance by MSEs in Chwele Township. It was established that most of the MSEs owners did not maintained their financial records and that the records maintained were mostly business plan, income statements and balance sheet. On access to debt finance, the study found out that most firms which kept financial information had their applications for debt finance approved while those that never maintained financial information had of the application declined. Thus the denial rate for debt finance was high for the firms that did not keep financial information. The analysis of regression revealed that financial information and access to debt finance had a positive relationship. Thus, a firm that maintains financial information was likely to obtain debt finance compared to one that does not. The last objective sought to establish the link between managerial competence of firm's owner and access to debt finance by MSEs in Chwele Township. In the study, it was found that most firm owners had an education level up to KCSE while a few had bachelor's degree. In terms of experience, most respondents had operated their firms for a period less than 4 years while a view had and experience above 20 years. The study established that; Collateral security, financial information and managerial competence influenced a firm's access to debt finance.