The East African Community Inter-Parliamentary Games have been scheduled for the first week of December 2026 in Arusha, Tanzania, without the participation of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The games, which will run from December 4 to December 15, 2026, will feature seven of the eight member states of the East African Community. The exclusion of DR Congo is attributed to the country's non-attendance at previous games and financing issues.
The games will be held under the theme "Umoja Wetu, Utajiri Wetu" and will feature a league format across all disciplines. The events will be staged at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium and other venues in Arusha, Tanzania. A newly developed Digital Registration Application, created by Kenyan ICT Officer Amos Kimathi, will be used during the games. The application is expected to be transferred to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) following technical capacity building.
The Bureau of Speakers of the National Legislatures of the East African Community and the East African Legislative Assembly finalized arrangements for the sporting events. The Speaker of the House of the People of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, chaired the meeting and announced that the annual tournament will be hosted by EALA.
A total operational budget of USD 134,900 has been approved for the games, to be cost-shared equally among seven Partner States through a one-off fee of USD 19,239. The funds are expected to be realized by the legislatures and EALA by October 15, 2026. Participating parliaments were instructed to submit updated biodata and confirm sports disciplines by October 23, 2026.
The Speakers' Bureau examined the financial health of the East African Community in light of the 25th EAC Heads of State Summit directive. The directive instituted a revised financing formula comprising 50 percent equal contributions and 50 percent assessed contributions, alongside a conditional 50 percent waiver on historical arrears.
The current financial contributions for Fiscal Year 2026/2027 stand at only 17 percent, with total outstanding dues exceeding USD 125 million. The Speakers committed to actively engaging their respective national governments and finance ministries to expedite the clearance of outstanding arrears.
The East African Parliamentary Games will provide a platform for legislators from the member states to interact and compete in a friendly environment. The games are expected to promote unity, cooperation, and healthy competition among the participating countries.
Key points
- DR Congo's exclusion from the games is due to non-attendance and financing issues.
- The games will feature a league format across all disciplines and will be staged at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium and other venues in Arusha, Tanzania.
- A total operational budget of USD 134,900 has been approved for the games.
