Operations at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) have been disrupted after member states delayed remitting funds, leaving MPs and staff unpaid since November 2025. In a January 27 memo, EAC Secretary General Veronica Nduva asked the Clerk to explain the salary delays following a complaint from KCB Bank Tanzania over unpaid loan installments.
The cash flow crisis has affected lawmakers from the eight partner states who sit in Arusha, raising concerns among financial institutions struggling to recover loans.
EALA MP David Sankok said irregular pay has hindered legislative work, limiting sittings and slowing progress on key bills, including proposals on banning leather imports, the blue economy, and the use of local currency. He blamed non-remitting states, singling out the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, and called for sanctions. Sankok proposed creating an EAC economic bloc where states directly pay their MPs, noting the 63 legislators earn over Ksh1 million monthly.
Source: Citizen Digital
