East African Court of Justice seeks expanded powers as it marks 25 years

More than 200 delegates, among them Chief Justices, judges, government officials and legal practitioners from the eight East African Community Partner States, are attending the celebrations.

The anniversary comes at a time when the regional court is seeking to make its decisions more effective by strengthening mechanisms for the implementation and enforcement of its judgments.

Discussions during the celebrations are focusing on the Court’s foundation, its vision, institutional development and early jurisprudence, with participants drawing lessons from the past 25 years to guide its next phase.

Among those attending the anniversary celebrations are EACJ Judge Agrey Muchelule, former EACJ Judge Ann Amadi and former EACJ Judge Charles Nyachae.

The participants are also examining how the Court can widen its reach by expanding its jurisdiction to cover emerging areas including trade, investment and monetary matters.

They are further discussing how the EACJ can leverage its dispute resolution mandate to play a greater role in addressing regional disputes over the next 25 years.

The celebrations will also see the launch of the Court’s Strategic Plan for 2026/2027 to 2031/2032, which sets out its priorities for the next five years.

The plan places emphasis on clearing the case backlog, improving access to justice through technology and strengthening the Court’s institutional independence.

As the EACJ marks a quarter of a century, attention is now turning to how the regional court can ensure that its judgments count, expand access to justice and strengthen the rule of law across the East African Community.