East Africa: EAC Court Suspends June Operations Amid Funding Woes

28 May 2024
The New Times (Kigali)
By Hudson Kuteesa

The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) has suspended its operations for June, having been hit by financial woes rising from delayed remittances from East African Community partner states.

Just like the Court, the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) - another regional organ which is also suffering from lack of funding - has in the past tried to push for countries that do not commit to their financial obligations to the bloc to be sanctioned.

In a statement issued on Monday, May 27, the Court said it "deeply regrets" to inform its esteemed stakeholders, particularly litigants and the general public, that there will be no scheduled session of the First Instance Division in June.

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"Owing to delayed remittances from the partner states, the court was unable to conduct the May 2024 session of the Appellate Division, and the June 2024 session of the First Instance Division will not be convened as scheduled," the statement read.

"This challenge significantly impedes the court's primary function, which is to promptly hear and adjudicate cases brought before it. Consequently, there has been a notable increase in the backlog of cases, with over 200 currently awaiting resolution before the EACJ," it went on.

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The East African Court of Justice is a treaty-based judicial body of the East African Community tasked to ensure adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the East African Community Treaty of 1999.

It sits in Arusha, Tanzania, but has sub-registries located in respective national courts in the partner states.

It convenes quarterly - in March, June, September, and November for the First Instance Division. Its Appellate Division convenes in February, May, August, and November.

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"The court urgently appeals to all partner states to acknowledge the gravity of the present situation and to ensure the timely remittance of funds to facilitate the smooth functioning of the Court and uphold effective justice delivery," the statement from the EACJ read.

Read the original article on New Times.

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