South Sudan Among Defaulters as EAC Struggles with Salaries

(ARUSHA) – The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat has been thrown into a staffing and financial crisis following the dismissal of nearly half its workforce after the Council of Ministers failed to reach an agreement on the retention of temporary employees.

More than 44 percent of the secretariat’s human resources, employed on short-term contracts, were released at the end of June 2025. The decision came after Kenya, which currently chairs the Council of Ministers, walked out of two high-level meetings in Arusha. The move prevented the council from reaching a consensus on recruitment and contract extensions.

Kenya argued that extending temporary staff contracts was unsustainable given that most partner states have failed to remit their annual contributions. Each member state is expected to pay 7 million US dollars (equivalent to 32.2 billion South Sudanese Pounds at the current exchange rate of 4,600 SSP per US dollar). In total, the bloc requires 56 million US dollars, or about 257.6 billion SSP, to fund its operations for the 2024/25 financial year.

As of June 2025, only Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda had paid their full contributions. South Sudan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Somalia had not settled their arrears. South Sudan alone owes around 15 million US dollars (69 billion SSP), according to council documents.

The walkout by the Kenyan delegation has raised questions about the bloc’s future stability. Beatrice Askul Moe, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of EAC, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development, said staffing decisions would only be guided by partner state consultations and council resolutions.

The EAC currently has 420 approved positions across its institutions, yet 152 remain vacant. A further 33 staff are due to leave between March and December 2025 because of retirement and contract expiries. The vacancies affect senior roles, including directors, heads of institutions, and counsel positions, and are leaving key cooperation areas without staff in sectors such as employment, immigration, energy, and fiscal affairs.

EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva confirmed that staffing matters remain tied to budget allocations and council directives. She said the secretariat continues to work closely with member states to align recruitment with available resources.

Concerns also persist over irregularities in recruitment. Some short term staff have been in their roles for more than a decade, despite labour regulations limiting such contracts. Tanzania has reportedly benefited most from the allocation of temporary staff, followed by Kenya and Uganda. This has caused tensions within the bloc, as some states push for more of their nationals to be recruited while at the same time passing laws restricting the employment of non citizens.

The issue is compounded by financial shortfalls. The DRC has paid only 1 million US dollars (4.6 billion SSP) of its dues, leaving arrears exceeding 20 million US dollars (92 billion SSP). Burundi also owes 15 million US dollars (69 billion SSP). Despite this, staff and legislators from these countries continue to receive full salaries and allowances.

The financial and staffing crisis is likely to affect the functioning of the community at a time when deeper integration is needed to address regional trade, security, and development challenges. For South Sudan, which joined the bloc in 2016, the crisis underscores the importance of meeting its financial obligations to ensure the country’s voice is not weakened within the organisation. Analysts warn that if arrears persist, the bloc risks losing credibility and effectiveness.

 EAC Partner State Contributions 2024/25