Dar es Salaam. A leaked official letter from Somalia’s Parliament requesting the swearing-in of its representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly despite outstanding financial obligations has exposed what analysts describe as a growing institutional crisis within the East African Community.
The letter, dated February 12, 2026 and addressed to the Speaker of Eala in Arusha, shows that the Federal Republic of Somalia is seeking a special arrangement to allow its nominated Members of Parliament to take the oath of office even though the country has not remitted its required financial contributions to the regional bloc. In the correspondence, Somali authorities acknowledge the financial difficulties facing the community and the country’s outstanding obligations.
The letter states that “the swearing-in of the Eala members from the Federal Republic of Somalia has been pending since October 2025 on account of financial crisis at the community.”
Under the EAC Treaty, partner states are required to remit annual contributions to support the operations of the regional organisation.
Somalia’s request therefore highlights a widening gap between treaty obligations and the operational realities within the bloc.
Paying for ceremonies instead of contributions
Rather than clearing its outstanding contributions, Somalia has proposed financing the swearing-in exercise as a temporary measure while it continues to mobilise resources to meet its obligations.
According to the letter, the Federal Parliament of Somalia “wishes to facilitate the swearing-in of the members as a stopgap measure through an Eala hybrid plenary format in Arusha.”
The proposed arrangement would cost a total of $30,320 (about Sh78 million). The letter details that nine Members-elect would receive daily subsistence allowances amounting to $10,080 for two days, while sitting allowances for 62 members over two days would total $19,840. A further $400 is earmarked for the Speaker’s sitting allowance.
Despite the proposal, the letter clarifies that the payment “has nothing to do with the annual contribution of the Federal Republic of Somalia is obligated to, but solely helps implement the decision of the East African Court of Justice… as well as facilitate the swearing-in of the Members-Elect to commence their official duties.”
While the amount is modest compared to the Community’s annual budget, analysts say the proposal symbolises a deeper structural challenge within the bloc, where financial compliance has increasingly become uncertain.
A bloc under strain
The development comes at a time when the EAC has been facing mounting financial stress due to delayed or unpaid contributions from several member states.
Somalia joined the Community in 2023 amid high expectations that the Horn of Africa nation would expand the bloc’s economic and geopolitical reach.
However, its entry has also increased the financial demands placed on the organisation.
In the leaked correspondence, Somali authorities maintain that the country remains committed to regional integration, noting that “the Federal Republic of Somalia is fully committed to meeting its financial obligations towards the EAC.”
Even so, the request highlights the difficult position facing the regional bloc as it attempts to balance political inclusiveness with financial discipline.
Regional integration experts say allowing member states to participate fully without meeting financial obligations risks undermining the rules-based framework of the Community. If Somalia’s MPs are sworn in without the country clearing its arrears, critics warn, the decision could set a precedent for other financially constrained partner states.
“Such a move could weaken enforcement of the Treaty and complicate already fragile budget planning at the EAC Secretariat, where operations depend heavily on timely remittances from partner states,” said Dr Peter Njau.
The situation also illustrates the broader institutional strain within the Community, where delayed contributions have in recent years disrupted programmes, meetings and regional initiatives.
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