The EAC is in deep trouble – and it’s not just about the money. The regional bloc, once full of promise, has now been forced to borrow from its own institutions just to stay afloat. Up to $656,000 is being gathered from bodies like the East African Health Research Commission and the Inter-University Council for East Africa, not for development or research, but to help fund the next budget. That’s not clever budgeting – that’s desperation.
It’s easy to see where the problem lies. Out of all EAC member states, only Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have paid their dues. Uganda even went a step further by contributing more than expected. But the rest – especially South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo – are pulling the bloc down. Together, they owe nearly $50.8 million.
Kenya, for instance, has done its part by clearing both its current dues and past arrears. But a few committed members cannot keep the Community alive while others treat their obligations like optional donations. The EAC is built on cooperation and shared responsibility. If some countries don’t take it seriously, the whole idea starts to unravel.
Right now, there’s no real consequence when member states fail to pay up. No fines, no red gateway with which, which is a dangerous precedent.
Worse still, the money being borrowed is coming from essential institutions. These are not extra cash reserves or extra funds with no particular use; rather, they are funds meant to support health research and higher education. Reassigning such funds just to keep the lights on at the EAC offices is like burning your own furniture to keep warm.
If the EAC is to survive and truly prosper, bold and honest reforms are no longer optional – they are urgent. Member states must stop treating their contributions as optional pledges and start viewing them as binding obligations, just like any other budget items back home.
More importantly, we need to start holding defaulters accountable. It’s not enough to politely remind them year after year. There should be clear consequences for failure to pay – whether that means losing voting rights when key EAC decisions are being made, facing financial penalties, sanctioning their respective staff from positions or being publicly named and shamed.
East Africa deserves better. And if the EAC can’t fix its financial mess, instead the desire of economic and political regional integration might just remain a dream.
It’s easy to see where the problem lies. Out of all EAC member states, only Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have paid their dues. Uganda even went a step further by contributing more than expected.
📌 Isaac Mwangi writes on social, political and economic issues in East Africa. E-mail: isaacmwangi@gmail.com
