Politics

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (May 24, 2025) The 19th Meeting of the Bureau of Speakers of the East African Community (EAC) concluded Saturday in Dar es Salaam with renewed calls for unity and integration. However, the gathering also highlighted significant financial challenges, particularly affecting the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), which has managed only one plenary session...

BUJUMBURA, Burundi — Burundi’s media regulator has issued a directive requiring both public and private media to adhere to strict principles of fairness, balance, and equal access during the campaign for the country’s upcoming legislative and communal elections — a move that comes with a warning to journalists and raises fresh questions about press freedom.

NAIROBI, Kenya — Youth and women traders across East Africa are urging governments in the region to remove non-tariff barriers (NTBs) that hinder their participation in agri-food trade, citing high costs, duplicative certification processes, and inconsistent standards as major obstacles. Speaking at the opening of the East Africa Cross-Border Trader Associations Forum on Non-Tariff...

ARUSHA, Tanzania — The East African Community (EAC) on Thursday announced the launch of Phase III of its Regional Network of Reference Laboratories for Communicable Diseases, backed by €12 million in funding from the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW, the German Development Bank. The three-year initiative, scheduled to run from July 2025 to...

GITEGA, Burundi — Burundi officially launched its 2025 electoral campaign with a national ceremony marked by a parade, political addresses, and calls for peaceful, inclusive elections. The event, held in Gitega, began with a parade led by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), followed by national and provincial-level staff, starting with...

BUJUMBURA, Burundi — Burundi’s parliament on Monday elected new members to the executive committee of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (CNIDH), replacing the previous leadership amid ongoing investigations into allegations of financial misconduct. Out of 114 applicants who submitted their credentials to the National Assembly, 21 met the eligibility criteria, including 12...

DOHA, Qatar — Representatives from six countries, including the United States, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reiterated their commitment to peace, stability, and economic development in the Great Lakes region following high-level discussions in Doha aimed at resolving the conflict in eastern DRC. The meeting, held in the Qatari capital, followed...

KAMPALA, Uganda (BT) — The East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has postponed debate on the East African Community’s (EAC) 2025/2026 budget, demanding that the Council of Ministers release funds for pending programs before lawmakers resume scrutiny. In a special virtual sitting held Monday, the Assembly received the EAC supplementary budget for the current fiscal...

GITEGA, Burundi — The Truth and Reconciliation Commission with french acronym CVR has completed the registration of thousands of victims of past violence across Burundi, as part of ongoing efforts to address grievances and promote national reconciliation. In the Gitega province, specifically in Nyarusange, 995 individuals have been identified in the TRC's victim registration...

Representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and the M23/AFC movement signed a joint declaration on April 23, 2025, committing to an immediate cessation of hostilities and the pursuit of a permanent ceasefire. The negotiations were facilitated by the State of Qatar and held recently in the United States. The declaration,...