The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) has suspended its quarterly meeting due to a lack of operational funds, following the failure of member states to remit their subscriptions.

The session, which was scheduled to be held in Kigali, Rwanda, has been postponed, exacerbating an existing backlog of cases.

"The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) 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 2024," read the court's statement.

A significant number of member states have not fulfilled their financial commitments, with South Sudan leading the list of defaulters, owing $30 million as of last year.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, which joined the bloc in 2023, has yet to clear its $14.7 million arrears. Other outstanding amounts include Burundi's $15.5 million, Tanzania's $123,694, Rwanda's $7.3 million, and Uganda's $6.1 million. Kenya has no arrears as of last year.

Pending arrears have become a contentious issue within the East African Community (EAC), with accusations of countries failing to meet their financial obligations.

The court urgently appealed to all partner states to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and ensure the timely remittance of funds to facilitate its smooth functioning and uphold effective justice delivery.

Established in 1999 and headquartered in Arusha, Tanzania, the EACJ hears cases from all member states: The Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Somalia. The court does not have a budget of its own and lacks the autonomy to manage its affairs.

The delayed remittance of annual contributions has left the EACJ struggling to operate, forcing it to rely heavily on donor funding.