East Africa in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
In East Africa in May 2026, the most prominent event was French President Emmanuel Macron's four-day Africa tour, which began in Egypt and continued to Kenya. On 10 May Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto held an economic summit in Nairobi on trade, investment and green energy, signing agreements on infrastructure and technology transfer. The two leaders closed the Africa Forward summit on 12 May. Kenya also called for a permanent African seat on the UN Security Council and agreed with Turkey to strengthen defence cooperation.
In Uganda, Yoweri Museveni was sworn in on 12 May for a seventh consecutive term after elections the opposition disputed; international observers had raised concerns about the process. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in Kampala for talks on 13 May. On 18 May Museveni signed a law aimed at curbing foreign influence, which drew domestic and international criticism; critics had said the bill copies Russia and China and is designed to crush dissent.
In Kenya, Ruto faced political pressure ahead of the 2027 elections, with allies defecting in the Mt Kenya region, calls for him to serve a single term, and shifting support in Western Kenya. Observers criticized what they called diplomatic gaffes. Waiguru apologised to Mt Kenya residents over the impeachment of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, and the Ol Kalou by-election became a contest between Gachagua and former President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Tanzanian president criticized Ruto over a refinery plan, and the East African Court of Justice blocked a Tanzanian tax on Kenyan matchboxes. Kenya was reported to risk US sanctions over citizens recruited to fight in the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Elsewhere, Zambia said the United States had tied a health deal to access to critical minerals. France reopened a judicial investigation into the widow of Rwanda's former president Juvenal Habyarimana over her alleged role in the 1994 genocide, and Congo and Rwanda were reported to be heading for a contest over the top post at the Francophonie organization.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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