The East African Community (EAC) was once celebrated as one of the most promising regional blocs in Africa, aiming to bring economic integration, political cooperation, and peace among member states. However, the bloc is now facing serious diplomatic and institutional challenges that have made many question whether it is failing to meet its core objectives. Based on current events and available data, the EAC is increasingly seen as diplomatically dysfunctional and incapable of steering the region towards unity and sustainable development.
One of the clearest signs of dysfunction is the deepening rift between member states, especially following the admission of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2022. The DRC has directly accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group who have seized territory in the DRC’s North Kivu Province. This accusation has led to a breakdown of relations between the two countries, with the DRC boycotting EAC summits and cutting diplomatic engagement with Kigali. While the EAC has attempted to mediate, it has failed to stop the fighting or even to present a united position, exposing its weakness in resolving internal conflicts.
Furthermore, the bloc’s inability to maintain a common security approach in eastern Congo has made things worse. After the collapse of the EAC regional force in late 2023, SADC troops from Southern Africa were deployed to fill the gap. This replacement not only highlighted the EAC’s diplomatic failure but also exposed the growing trust deficit between member states. Even efforts to coordinate peacekeeping are now being handled outside the bloc, reflecting its shrinking influence.
Financial instability is another major challenge undermining the bloc’s functionality. Recent reports indicate that member countries – notably the DRC, Burundi, South Sudan, and Somalia – owe the EAC over 58 million US dollars in unpaid dues. This has caused critical organs of the bloc, including the East African Legislative Assembly and the East African Court of Justice, to scale down their operations. These institutions are meant to anchor integration, yet they are now struggling to pay staff and carry out basic functions. A regional body that cannot finance its own operations loses both credibility and capacity to implement policies.
The EAC’s ambitious expansion strategy has also backfired. While adding new members like Somalia and South Sudan has extended its geographical reach, it has also imported internal instability, insecurity, and governance problems into the bloc. Many of these states are still fragile, conflict-prone, and financially weak, making them more of a liability than an asset. Without adequate screening and integration planning, the EAC has become more divided, not more united.
Diplomatic tensions between long-standing members also continue to flare. Kenya and Tanzania, despite sharing strong historical and economic ties, have had repeated spats over trade barriers, deportations, and accusations of mistreatment of citizens. In 2024 and early 2025, there were cases of Kenyan businesspeople being arrested in Tanzania and cross-border goods being blocked without due process. Such actions directly undermine the EAC’s commitment to free movement of people, goods, and services.
Even Kenya, often seen as the regional leader, has faced criticism under President William Ruto’s government for inconsistent foreign policy. The administration’s frequent diplomatic missteps, including controversial meetings with military leaders from the Sudanese RSF, and strained relations with Somalia and Eritrea, suggest a lack of clear direction in advancing regional integration.
In conclusion, the East African Community is struggling both politically and institutionally. Its failure to address internal conflicts, enforce financial discipline, maintain diplomatic unity, and carry out its mandates effectively paints a picture of a bloc that is losing its way. Unless bold and urgent reforms are made, including redefining membership criteria, strengthening conflict resolution mechanisms, and restoring trust among member states, the EAC risks becoming little more than a paper institution.
By Tom Onyango