Eala endorses $4.7m supplementary EAC budget

The supplementary budget was approved late on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, during the third meeting of the fourth session of the fifth Assembly of Eala, currently sitting in Arusha in a hybrid format combining physical and virtual participation.

The approval followed deliberations on a report by the Committee on General Purpose, which had been tasked with scrutinising the supplementary funding request submitted by the chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, Ms Rebecca Kadaga.

The EAC’s original budget for the 2025/2026 financial year stood at $109 million.

Ms Kadaga told the Assembly that emerging priorities and additional operational demands during the year necessitated extra funding of $4.79 million (Sh12.61 billion).

Following scrutiny, the Assembly approved expenditures amounting to $4.74 million (about Sh12.473 billion). Of the additional allocation, $2.26 million (Sh5.95 billion) was allocated to the EAC Secretariat to support strategic activities, including strengthening responses to disease outbreaks, enhancing trade and regional integration, improving information and communication technology systems, and advancing the Community’s participation in global environmental initiatives.

The Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) received $1.37 million (Sh3.61 billion) to support fisheries resource management, aquaculture development, and food security initiatives across the region.

The Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) was allocated $470,075 (Sh1.24 billion) to finance climate change projects and maritime transport activities within the basin.

The East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) received $644,428 (Sh1.70 billion) to promote innovation, digital skills development, and entrepreneurship among youth and women.

During the debate, several lawmakers expressed concern over the Community’s continued reliance on development partners, whose contributions account for about 88 percent of the supplementary budget.

Tanzanian legislator James Millya warned that overdependence on external financing could undermine the EAC’s long-term goal of financial sustainability.

He urged the Community to strengthen internal revenue generation and explore alternative funding sources.

EAC tables new budget

At the same sitting, Ms Kadaga formally presented the EAC’s proposed budget for the 2026/2027 financial year, valued at $110,863,576.

She described it as a milestone budget, noting that it is the first to be implemented under the Seventh EAC Development Strategy (2026/27–2030/31).

The strategy is anchored on the theme: “Deepening Integration for Improved Living Standards of the People of East Africa.”

It aims to strengthen regional integration, promote trade and investment, and improve the socio-economic welfare of citizens across partner states.

EALA is expected to continue detailed scrutiny of the 2026/2027 budget before giving it final approval.