By John Okello Lapok
Uganda is facing an embarrassment at continental level after government failed to meet its annual subscription obligations to the African Union, The Inspector reveals.
Ironically, President Museveni, a strong advocate for African integration is among the four top leaders of the AU baptized as the Committee of the Wise, and serves as the the Champion for Integration while Kenyan President William Ruto is the AU Champion for Institutional Reforms.
Whereas it is not clear whether Museveni is aware of the embarrassing situation at hand, Uganda as we speak cannot utter or participate in any decision being made under the African Union arrangement.
To make matters worse, on Friday this week November 13, 2026, there is going to be the 27th Extraordinary Session of the Executive Council (read Ministers of member states). The meeting is strictly going to be attended by Ministers of Foreign affairs and those of Finance, taking place at the Accra-based Labadi beach hotel beginning at 9:00-5:00 PM.
The meeting falls directly under William Ruto’s AU mandate as the Champion for Institutional Reforms. However, the bad news from the Union is that no minister from Uganda (finance and foreign affairs) will take part in this crucial meeting courtesy of Uganda’s failure to pay subscription.
We gathered that the country is actually currently placed under what AU calls Cautionary sanctions having paid merely 50% of its fees (USD 2.73m) leaving a balance of the same figure.
According to the AU, a country that is under cautionary sanctions (after six months of defaulting) is stripped of the right to utter even a word in any AU meeting or make any presentation. Inspectors said this is exactly what awaits any Ugandan Minister who will attempt to register and participate in the Friday’s crucial session of the Execution Council.
“They can try to attend the session but their attendance will be of no consequence to the country. Individually, they will eat per diem from government but nothing will the country benefit. Uganda is under sanctions because of nonpayment of subscription fees” explained an inspector.
We have been told that unless this money is paid before Thursday, the country will only manage to send a low-level staff team to this meeting whose work will be to simply listen and take notes but no speaking.
There is also a risk of Uganda being placed under level II of the sanctions if the debts go beyond one year. When placed under the Intermediate sanctions regime, Uganda will lose the right to host any AU summit/event, have it’s bureau suspended, none of its national being allowed for any AU job, no participation in AU observer missions among others. When the country reaches two years of defaulting, it will then be placed under the worst sanctions regime called Comprehensive sanctions where the banana republic will be totally suspended from AU meetings and projects.
ABOUT THE ACCRA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL SESSION
This sessions arises from the resolutions of the 38th Ordinary Session held in February 2025 in Addis Ababa where the assembly asked the Executive Council to convene Ministers of Foreign affairs and Finance on financing the AU and the Peace Fund.
Similarly the 39th ordinary session held in the same month and year, reiterated the call to hold the session not later than November this year. It is for this reason that the AU Executive Council (Ministerial session) bringing together ministers of member states, institutions and partners is being held.
“Financing the African Union is central to the ongoing institutional reform process. In Accra, Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Finance come together to agree measures that strengthen the financing of the Union and of the Peace Fund, reduce dependence on external financing and ensure predictable funding for the Union’s programmes and peace support operations” explained an inspector
The agenda of the meeting is Financing the AU, the Peace Fund and Accountability.
We have been informed that the meeting is most likely going to revise the subscription fees upwards, a situation that is likely to complicate matters for Uganda which is already struggling to pay the existing ‘minimal’ fees to the AU.
“The meeting is very critical. Important decisions are going to be made. Unfortunately, Uganda will not participate in any presentation, debate or decision making. If we manage to attend, our delegation will only observe without uttering a single word” explained an inspector.
In fact, we’re told during the recent Summit of Heads of State in Cairo, Uganda had to plead a lot with the organisers to allow the Vice President who represented Gen. Museveni to present his statement.
In the recent reshuffles for Cabinet and Permanent Secretaries, President Museveni fired all the foreign affairs Ministers and appointed new ones led by Adonia Ayebare (former ambassador to New York), while the Permanent Secretary was also redeployed to the Tourism Ministry.
He also fired finance minister Matia Kasaija and replaced him with Henry Musasizi, his former deputy although the PS Ramathan Ggoobi survived. For now, registration of participants for the Accra session is ongoing online and is free but Uganda looks at the registration list with squinted eyes! Watch this space!
