EAC court to review 25-year justice record
ARUSHA: THE East African Court of Justice (EACJ) is set to examine the enforcement of its judgments and the expansion of its jurisdiction as it marks 25 years of service to the East African Community (EAC), amid efforts to strengthen regional justice.
The discussions will feature prominently during the Court’s silver jubilee celebrations at the EAC Headquarters in Arusha on November 12, 2026, bringing together more than 200 participants, including Chief Justices, government leaders, judges and legal practitioners.
Uganda’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, will represent President Yoweri Museveni, who chairs the EAC Heads of State Summit, at the celebrations. She also chairs the EAC Council of Ministers and is expected to officiate at the opening ceremony.
Announcing the commemorations, EACJ President Justice Nestor Kayobera, said the anniversary would provide an opportunity to celebrate the Court’s achievements while examining its performance and future direction.
“The milestone is an occasion for the region not only to recognise the Court’s contribution but also to question how effectively it had served East Africans,” he said.
He further said the programme will include discussions on the implementation and enforcement of the Court’s decisions, as well as proposals to extend its jurisdiction to trade, investment and monetary matters.
Other sessions will examine the Court’s institutional development, early jurisprudence and its potential to strengthen regional commercial justice.
Established in November 2001, when the EAC comprised Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the Court is the judicial organ of the Community, mandated to ensure adherence to the law in the interpretation and application of, and compliance with, the EAC Treaty.
The regional bloc has since expanded to eight Partner States, adding Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia and South Sudan.
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Over the past 25 years, the Court’s judgments and precedents have contributed to the development of regional jurisprudence and the protection of rights across the Community.
“Twenty-five years ago, a promise was made that in East Africa, justice would be the light that guides citizens towards a prosperous Region. The Court is inviting the people of East Africa to celebrate that journey and to question it, because a great court does not fear scrutiny; it grows through it,” Justice Kayobera said.
The celebrations, held under the theme “25 Years of the East African Court of Justice: From Foundation to Future”, will also feature the launch of the EACJ Strategic Plan 2026/2027– 2031/2032 and the adoption of a communiqué outlining key issues raised during the discussions.
The EAC Secretary General, Ambassador Stephen Mbundi and the Chief Justices of Tanzania and Malawi are also expected to address the gathering.
