Arusha, Tanzania — The East African Community began its 2026 chairmanship under Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni this month with delegates acknowledging that unpaid membership dues are now hampering the bloc’s day-to-day operations, according to official statements from the summit. Participants said only a minority of the eight partner states have transferred their 2025/26 contributions on time, forcing the secretariat to postpone sessions of the East African Legislative Assembly and slow the work of the East African Court of Justice. Sources close to the budget committee said arrears have accumulated for “months or years” in several capitals, but exact figures were not released.
Governments approved a new financing formula that divides costs into equal base shares plus additional amounts linked to the size of each economy, a move regional officials confirmed is meant to ease pressure on smaller members while asking larger economies to pay more. Delegates also endorsed a rule that countries in protracted arrears could lose the right to nominate candidates for senior posts when vacancies arise. Museveni, officially handed the rotating chair from Kenya’s William Ruto on 6 March, told delegates that unreliable funding “risks marginalising the region” at a time when global trade is dominated by large blocs, according to a summary of his remarks.
Official statements indicate leaders avoided naming publicly which states are behind, citing diplomatic protocol.
The 300-million-person bloc is preparing to launch a monetary union roadmap and has invited the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia to join existing members Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Independent observers say expansion raises administrative costs at the same time national treasuries are coping with higher public debt and weaker currencies.
Further details on the payment schedule or enforcement calendar were not immediately available.
Regional officials expect finance ministers to table implementation timelines before the next council meeting in June.
