Land ownership and regional integration in the EAC

A news report out of Dar es Salaam a few days ago illustrated another stumbling block in moves towards regional integration: namely differing perspectives on the ability of foreigners to own land in African states. The report also spoke to the charge by foreign states and companies to gain access to "vast tracks" of land in Africa as a way of ensuring food supplies. The Deputy Minister for East African Co-operation, Mohammed Aboud, said Tanzania was not ready to adopt the controversial issue of cross-border private land ownership within the EAC. Why can't other countries adopt the Tanzanian model of state ownership of land, he asked?