Heads of State of the East African Community (EAC) have appointed Stephen Mbundi of Tanzania as the bloc’s new Secretary General. The appointment was made during the 25th Ordinary Heads of State Summit held in Arusha on Saturday.
Mbundi succeeds Veronica Nduva of Kenya and previously served as Permanent Secretary in Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation.
His tenure begins amid key regional challenges, including maintaining peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and addressing trade and economic issues affecting the regional bloc.
At the summit, outgoing EAC chairperson and Kenyan President William Ruto handed over leadership to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Leaders also agreed on measures to ease the financial burden on the Community, including allowing members of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) to receive salaries from their national parliaments instead of the regional assembly.
Additionally, countries with large outstanding debts to the bloc were granted a 50% waiver, with the remaining balance to be paid within two years.
Mbundi becomes the second Tanzanian to serve as EAC Secretary General, after Juma Mwapachu, who held the position from 2006 to 2011. His leadership will focus on strengthening regional cooperation, improving financial stability within the bloc, and addressing economic and security challenges across the region.