Neighbours at odds: How Political intolerance is fracturing EAC unity

A Tanzanian police officer stops a man accused by electoral officials of attempting to taint the voting process at a polling station in Stone Town on October 29, 2025, during Tanzania’s presidential elections. [AFP]

The survival of the East African Community (EAC) probably faces one of its biggest tests due to ideological differences of the current crop of leaders in the region.

Presently, under the Chairmanship of Kenya’s President Ruto, the leaders from the eight member states seems to be cut of the same fabric in the conduct of their national duties, but ideologically worlds apart in driving regional integration.